Pleasantly Low
by TheSecretsSafeWithMe
Summary: An Alternate Route In So...Good Talk. It All Starts With A Girl's Night Out.
1. The Dirty Martini

**AN: The most important thing to know is that this takes place IN "So...Good Talk". A different twist on things. What if Sookie wouldn't have been pregnant for the girl's night out? Well...read on.**

_LORELAI'S HOUSE – OUTSIDE_

_Lorelai exits the front door and joins Sookie, waiting in her car._

_LORELAI: Oh, I am so hot. I'm going to hit on myself tonight._

_SOOKIE: You look nice._

_LORELAI: So do you, your hair is so fancy._

_SOOKIE: And I'm ready to let it down!_

_LORELAI: So, what town are we painting first?_

Sookie smiles and giddily replies, "I was thinking Woodbury and red."

"Red?"

"Let's paint it red!" She cranks the car and turns on the stereo.

"Ahh, the colors of blood and seduction."

"More seduction than blood I assure you." Sookie gives her a knowing glance.

"Naughty!"

They pull out into the night as Cyndi Lauper blares on...

_"I come home in the morning light,_

_My mother says "When you gonna live your life right?"_

Inside a Woodbury bar, Sookie and Lorelai sit in a booth taking in the sights around them. Two older men playing pool, a few giddy college girls screaming "BlowJob Shot! She's 21!" Pictures are snapped as evidence of the joyous night. A few loners sitting at the bar sipping on drink of choice, gazing through the television, wondering where they went wrong. It is nearly empty and the music is low. The bartender, handsome with dark short hair, wipes down the counter, his face solid and stoic. The birthday celebraters laugh and take turns licking salt off of each other's necks.

"When did lesbianism become so 'in'?" Lorelai breaks the silence.

"Huh?"

Lorelai takes a sip out of her martini and lazily plays with the olive resting at the bottom of her glass. "You know, every college girl and her sister are constantly in bars making out these days. I mean more power to them, just seems strange that it has become a bandwagon."

Sookie smiles and looks at the girls. She looks back to Lorelai to see her still languishing over her drink. She frowns. "You're morose! I'm failing at my attempts to lift your spirits! I'm the worst best friend ever! Who knew the lack of bar activity at 10 o'clock! Not-"

Lorelai raises her eyes and grins as she cuts her off. "No. You are a great best friend, I was just making an observation. I think this is exactly what I needed." She finishes off her martini and goes to get up from her position. Pointing to her empty glass. "Well and a few more of those."

Sookies laughs. "Let me get us another round!" Sookie jumps up before Lorelai can finish her movements towards standing. Lorelai settles back into her seat and looks at the girls as they dance in front of the jukebox. She smiles sadly as Sookie reappears with gifts in hand. She hands Lorelai her drink and notices the frown.

"Are you okay? I mean we can go somewhere else if you want. This place might be too depressing."

Lorelai smiles at her friend. "Well then let the waters take us away like Laura Brown. We're going nowhere my friend. The night is just beginning. And plus, the bartender is hot!" She looks at Sookie who seems unconvinced. She caves, no longer attempting to hide her sadness. "Honestly, just looking at those girls makes me realize I sort of missed that whole 'I'm 21', 'I'm free from my parents', 'wet tee shirt contest and jell-o shots', 'papa don't preach' phase in my life." Sookie looks at her sadly. She notices and cocks her head. "Okay. I'm done being 'morose'."

"Honey, you have Rory. That's the most important thing." Lorelai smiles. Sookie, encouraged, continues. "Well then let's make up for lost time shall we?" Sookie's eyes have turned very mysterious, scandal in every corner. If Lorelai didn't know better, she'd be convinced that Sookie was about to pull out cocaine and start cutting lines with a platinum credit card.

Skeptically Lorelai smiles. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

Instead of answering Sookie downs the rest of her Sidecar. Her eyebrows raise and she jumps to her feet. "Can we get two blowjob shots over here please!" Every head in the bar turns to Sookie and she blushes slightly. All is quiet, and for a split second Lorelai sympathetically considers grabbing Sookie and high tailing it to the door. Or maybe standing on the booth and flashing the room. But the bough breaks. The giddy girls scream delightfully and run towards the duo chanting "Us too, us too!" The bartender breaks into a smile, taking out a few shot glasses and starts mixing his concoction. Sookie turns and looks at Lorelai smiling widely, excited to see her eyes showing nothing but pure joy and laughter. Sookie turns to the bartender, "Make that six!" as the girls start surrounding the two of them. Names begin to be exchanged and the handsome bartender comes to the table holding a tray of foam topped shots.

One of the girls scoots into the booth with Lorelai and the others follow suit, one next to Sookie and the other two pull up chairs.

"So whose birthday is it?" Lorelai asks grinning.

"And that would be me!" The girl next to Lorelai says swaying slightly in a drunken haze.

"We have successfully wasted Chelsea ladies." A collective "yeah!" comes from the group and Sookie and Lorelai laugh.

"Well Chelsea, I see Mac and Cheese in your future!" Lorelai says grinning. The shots are distributed and the girls all laugh. The bartender stands by the table and his face now shows a small grin as he watches the girls.

"So Lorelai, Sookie, do you guys know how this is done?" Sam, one of the girls turns towards them. Lorelai scoffs and Sookie laughs. The girls look at them amused and Lorelai smiles widely. "Do we know how it's done! Please, we could give you girls some pointers!" She winks at the bartender flirtily, who immediately blushes and the group bursts into fits of giggles and raise their eyebrows at the suggestion.

Sookie chimes in, "Dirty! And cheers!" The six lean to the table and all expertly down the shots using nothing but their mouths. The bartender collects the glasses and the wiping of mouths and giggles commence. Lorelai leans in to the group and lets out her secret. "This doesn't happen much, but I see Mac and Cheese in my future too!"

The girls continue to bask in the glow of drunkenness and laughter. Sookie looks over to Lorelai and smiles as she watches her talking to the girls, happy. And then she hears it.

"So where are your husbands?" Lorelai's face changes abruptly, fallen, she quickly tries to hide it with a smile. Sookie sympathetically turns to the girls. "No husbands. Well Jackson, but no, tonight we are independent women. Jackson who?" She lamely finished. The girls are all looking at Sookie questioningly. Lorelai steps in, recovered. "Jackson is Sookie's husband. I however, am officially single, and ready to mingle." She smiles weakly as silence falls over the group.

Sam looks at her knowingly. "Fuck men!" Lorelai looks relieved and the girls all cheer. "Yeah!" Sookie finds her eyes apologetically. Lorelai reassures her with a look. She lifts her drink to cheers the awaiting glasses sitting patiently in the air. Vodka tumbles to the table and Sookie looks at her friend as she is smiling again. _Grace under pressure._

An hour or so later, the drunken group had fallen in comfortable conversation. Chelsea was basked in a glow, officially cut-off from receiving any more alcoholic beverages, toasted, wasted, far from resembling any sort of a sober person. Lorelai, as usual, the center of attention, telling one of her many antidotes, smiles bouncing from the walls. "And then, we went to Mrs. Kim's only to find a tofurkey! Who eats tofurkey! Feed me that and death shall soon follow!"

_Just like a prayer, you know I'll take you there..._

A familiar tune comes on. "I love this song!" Chelsea breaks into a wide grin. "Girls, we dance!"

"Ahh yes our anthem for tonight! You heard the woman, let the dancing be danced." Lorelai announces. The girls all get up in giddiness, Lorelai goes around to Sookie, pulling her up. "You too lady!"

"It's like an angel sighing..." Elizabeth sings loudly and her and Chelsea turn on the dance floor. The girls all careen into each other smiling. Lorelai hugs Sookie in the dancing. "Thanks babe, this has been really fun!" Sookie smiles, "Didn't I promise you a good time. And I deliver, and we paint red well. Yep, we still got it." Sookie sways drunkenly. Then abruptly stands up straight sobering, "I can't drive! And you definitely can't drive. How are we going to get back to Star's Hollow!" Lorelai smiles. "Not a problem. Tonight is too good to waste. We'll take a cab if we must!" Sookie's giddy smile returns. Lorelai continues, "Now I need a refill!" She stumbles to the bar.

The bartender smiles at her as she approaches the bar. He is fixing a drink and for a second Lorelai wonders how he is able to work so well with no eye contact with his cocktail. She smiles back, and breaks from her staggering, jauntily finishing the walk to the bar. He breaks from the smiles reluctantly and finishes preparing the drink. He delivers and stands in front of Lorelai wiping his hands on a rag. "The regular?" Lorelai smiles and nods almost shyly. He begins fixing her drink, maintaining eye contact with a playful smile on his face. "You do that well." He nods at her, continuing his work. His gaze never leaves her face, except when it glances down her body for a split second, she blushes. "Especially with your eyes elsewhere..." Lorelai finishes. Now it's his turn to blush. He shakes the martini, and she adds, almost purring, "Make it dirty." His blush deepens and he smiles coyly to her. Intense eye contact, and then,

"Lorelai!" Chelsea runs up behind her and grabs her waist. Bartender's face becomes stoic again as the impatient begin to wave their money towards him; moment officially over. He adds the olive juice and passes the drink to Lorelai, who is now talking to the birthday girl. She turns to receive her drink and smiles to him again. His face softens, but only for a minute. "Corona!" He turns annoyed to put in the order.

"Come back and dannnnnnce some more!"

"I just needed a refill my lady!"

Chelsea leans in, "Were you flirtttting with the hannnndsommme barrrrtender?" She drunkenly leans too far and Lorelai catches her as she sloshes into a group of people. Lorelai laughs. And then suddenly stops. She was flirting with the handsome bartender. She was suggestive and all jaunty and welcomed, hell, encouraged his glances. She sets Chelsea upright and slips away. Chelsea turns and begins conversing with the nearby bar-goers. As Lorelai retreats she hears Chelsea wail, "Did you know it's my birrrthhhhdayyy?" The group around her laughs and she hears someone call for a round of shots. The kid can take care of herself for now.

She runs into the bathroom and locks herself in a stall. The tears are flowing down her face and she covers her mouth as a small sob escapes. She pulls out her cell phone and begins to dial a number. She stops abruptly and puts her phone back in her purse letting more tears fall. She hears the door open and voices she doesn't recognize barrel off of the walls. The girls are laughing and knock on her door. "Is someone in there?" Lorelai struggles to find her voice, sits upright, shoulders back, clearing her throat, "I'll be out in a second." Her voice was squeaky but luckily the girls fail to notice and stumble towards the other stalls. "This one's open Carrie!" Giggling ensues. Her figure slumps and she places her head in her hands.

"Lorelai?" The bathroom door opens and Sookie's voice calls out to her. "Lorelai, are you in here?" Well no escaping now. Sookie would surely panic if Lorelai was MIA, she had to reveal herself. Maybe just let her wonder for a few more minutes. She can still save her appearance; her dignity. "Sam said she saw you come in here!" So much for that plan. She wipes her face and slowly opens her stall door, Sookie sees her and runs into the stall.

"Honey! What happened?" She locks the stall behind her and turns around, Lorelai surprises both of them by falling into Sookie and begins crying onto her shoulder. "Are you okay sweetie? Talk to me!" Lorelai sniffles and then raises her head, turning to grab some toilet paper to dab her face.

"Just having a small, miniature meltdown in the bathroom. I'm sorry, I'm okay."

"What happened honey?" Her voice was syrupy and sweet. Lorelai tasted the beginnings of the vomit in her mouth. She swallowed it back.

"Nothing, nothing. Just had a Luke attack. I'm okay." She shrugs Sookie concerned hand off of her shoulder. "My makeup must be ruined!" She forces a small smile. "I must look like a wreck."

Sookie returns the small smile, letting her friend be strong. "I have some reinforcements in my bag. You wanna wait here and I'll go grab it?"

"If you are my ruca then I am Sublime." The reference flies over Sookie's head but she chooses to ignore it.

"I'll be right back." She leaves the stall and Lorelai latches the door behind her. It's been four weeks, a month, a

whole month. Lorelai shakes her head breathing in deeply. Composure. Highly overrated.

The girls from a few stalls down finish their business. "I'm going home with him tonight. I'd put money on it!" "No money needed. I know your powers!" A nauseating laugh. Lorelai winces. They leave her in silence again. _Drip, _

_drip, drip._ Distant music, laughing, clinking glasses.

Sookie soon returns with a gentle knock to her door. Lorelai opens the door, smiling. "Thanks hon".

"No problem. Now let's work some magic!"

Sookie begins pulling out her tools. "So wanna tell me what this was all about?"

Lorelai sighs. "I was flirting. I was being hit on. By the handsome bartender. The handsome bartender with the stoic face, a reserved smile, he was standing there behind the counter and flirting ensued! Sound familiar?"

"Oh hon..."

"I mean what is it with me a men behind counters!" A forced laugh and then she begins to rub the concealer under her eyes. Sookie studies her face, judging her readiness for the suggestion on Sookie's mind. She opens her mouth to speak, words begin, "You're dr-", but Lorelai continues.

"It's been a month Sook, a month. Am I crazy? I mean surely he would have made some sort of contact with me if he had any intention of rectifying the situation!"

"Well, you wanna know what I think?"

Lorelai continues, as she moves to replace the mascara that minutes ago transferred onto the discarded tissue in the toilet. "And you wanna hear the worst thing, I mean this takes the cake! He never even heard me out! Never let

me talk!" Anger begins bubbling and Sookie decides to tread lightly.

"Do you want to leave hon? Maybe that would be best..."

"No! We were having fun! Why should I be getting all upset like this. There is nothing I can do, live for the day baby!" Anger escapes and Sookie's mascara takes the fall, Lorelai throws it hard into the bag.

Gently, "You had your heart broken sweetie, this is normal. You're allowed a few tears."

Lorelai puts some lip gloss on and smacks her lips together forcefully. Sookie's statement hangs in the air.

"I need another drink! Live for the day baby!" Lorelai smiles, forced and angry. "Am I fixed?"

Sookie gives in and smiles sadly. "You look beautiful."

**Okay, so my first chapter is done. Hope you enjoyed! Lots more drama and good stuff to come. **


	2. We Need To Leave

**AN: So here we go, chapter 2. Questions you didn't even know you had will be answered.**

_"I need another drink! Live for the day baby!" Lorelai smiles, forced and angry. "Am I fixed?"_

_Sookie gives in and smiles sadly. "You look beautiful."_

Lorelai leads the way out of the bathroom. She takes a deep breath, smiles, and exits. As soon as the music returns to the unmuffled normalcy, Lorelai notices that the crowd has thickened significantly. She sighs relief and then sees Sam approaching her.

"Well there you guys are! We were wondering where you ran off to!"

"Well here we are. Where'd everyone else go?"

"Back to the table. Chelsea was starting to see stars!" She laughs and Lorelai follows suit. Sookie steps up from her position behind Lorelai. "I see stars every time I give birth!" Sam looks at her bewildered and Lorelai grins knowingly.

"How many times have you given birth?" Sam asks.

"Well only once, but I swear David Spade was checking my vaginal dilation!" They all laugh.

"Now that I can officially never have sex again, let's join the others!" Sam snorts and smiles slightly disgusted. Lorelai laughs and puts her arm around Sookie as they begin to walk after Sam, "David Spade?" Sookie looks at Lorelai's sympathetic face. "Yeah, you have no idea! Scarred I tell you!" Lorelai laughs and they catch up to the group.

Chelsea's face lies on the table with a grin as darts her eyes around the table, unable to focus her eyes. Lorelai sits beside her and begins rubbing her back. "You okay down there?"

"Uh huhhh, this has been the best birthday, like, ever!" Her friends grin proudly. Lorelai smiles and then notices someone walking towards the table. Broad shoulders, she notes. He walks confident, strong with swift movements through the crowd. Muscular hands grip a dainty martini glass gingerly. Finally, she braves his face. His eyes are watching her, a small smile on his lips. Handsome. _Well this is it. _She takes a deep breath and Sookie follows her gaze. Worried, she reaches for Lorelai's hand, but Lorelai is on her feet to meet the man before any questions could be asked.

"For me?" Lorelai asks him innocently placing her hands over her heart. The girls watch the interaction. While Sookie looks slightly nervous, the others watch her as if she's about to demonstrate the art of bull-riding. _Dirty._

He stops in front of her coyly smiling, handing her the glass, letting go a few seconds later than needed, hands on hands. "You left this at the bar. I couldn't just let my favorite customer's dirty martini go to waste." She smiles at him, and puts her hand to his chest gently, sliding down his frame, "Well however can I thank you?" His eyes glow arousal. Sookie watches, slightly horrified. _They needed to get out of there._ Lorelai maintains eye contact, gently lifting the glass to her mouth to take a sip. Her hands at his wasteband; tension grows thick. Sookie clears her throat and abruptly makes a decision. "Lorelai, your daughter's here to pick us up!" All eyes snap to Sookie and she sinks ever so subtly in her seat. Lorelai's face burns of embarrassment, and with one last seething glance in Sookie's direction, pulls her martini up to her mouth, finishing it in one fail swoop moving to get her purse. With a fleeting glance to Handsome Bartender, her glance not able to make his face, "Thanks for the drink." She flees for the door.

Handsome bartender's face grows cautious and he follows her with his eyes. He turns and walks back to the bar. Sookie raises her head from her hands and grabs her phone from her purse, standing. "I'm sorry girls. It's been fun."

"Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine. Happy birthday Chelsea!"

Oblivious, "Thanks Sookums! Ughh, I think I'm going to be sick..."

Sookie is already making her way to the door and knocks into a woman. She spills her drink and turns to see Sookie running out of the door.

"Hey!"

"Here's a napkin Carrie." Her male companion offers her a napkin.

Crazy Carrie takes it and wipes her shirt, "Damn." She smiles up at him. "Guess we'll have to get me out of these wet clothes." His eyes turn wide and they scamper towards the back of the bar. She turns to him, "What's your name again?"

Sookie scrambles to dial a number as she reaches the exterior. She looks down the sidewalk to see Lorelai sitting with her head in her hands on a stoop down the block. The phone begins to ring.

_"Hello?"_

"Hi sweetie, it's Sookie."

Rory immediately wakes, _"Is Mom okay?"_

"Yeah, she's okay. We just need a ride. Are you in Star's Hollow or New Haven?"

_"Star's Hollow. Where are you guys?"_

"Girl's night out, gone sour. We're in Woodbury. I'm sorry to call you, I just didn't know who else to call. We're outside of "The Black Bear" on Main St."

_"It's no problem. I'll be right there."_

The phone line goes dead and Sookie places her phone back in her purse and begins her cautious walk towards Lorelai.

Rory runs out of the house and turns to lock the door as she starts towards her car she stops dead in her tracks.

"Hi."

As Sookie approaches Lorelai she hears sniffling. She sits down next to Lorelai shamefully. "I'm sorry I did that."

Lorelai looks up with a smile. Sookie looks astonished. _She was laughing. _Lorelai's giggles start again. They are laced with sadness.

"She's not even here is she? I mean of course she's not! It was ploy. You were trying to stop me from embarrassing myself." She looked back at her shoes, shaking her head. "At least he'll start carding _everyone_ now. He almost made out with a mom. No, not just any mom, a mother of a child at least old enough to drive." She laughs more, clearly drunk. "I could be his mom!"

Sookie decides to step in and lamely states, "You couldn't be his mom."

Her laughter fades and she looks at Sookie hard. "It just felt good, you know? To know that I _could_ feasibly," she struggles with the next part, "m-move on. If I wanted to."

Sookie relaxes slightly. _Eyeballs in place. Well for now. _She looks at Lorelai's fingernails tentatively.

"Any man would be crazy to not want you." Lorelai scoffs.

"Right...tell that to _Luke_." Venom raises in her throat as she says his name.

"Luke?" Rory asks as he stands in the yard, staring at his shoes.

"I'm sorry, I was just leaving, I just-" He builds his resolve and clears the cloudiness from his voice. "I'm sorry I startled you. See you around." He turns and walks away faster than Rory can recover enough from her shock to say anything. She watches him go and then remembers her purpose and runs towards her car.

They sit on the stoop in silence for a few minutes.

"Rory's coming to pick us up. Just a heads up."

"Guess I should sober up a little." A pause. "Sorry I wasn't much fun tonight."

"I had a great time...well not counting the bathroom or the whole past five minutes." Lorelai attempts a laugh. And stops.

With great resolve, "Maybe I should just do it. End the craziness." She stands.

Sookie looks hopeful, "Yeah, I mean maybe if you just tried to talk to him again..."

Lorelai smiles big and starts to walk back towards the bar. Sookie starts to follow cautiously. "Well he's not in there!"

"Oh, yes he is." She walks faster and swings the door open. Sookie follows her into the bar and speaks loudly over the music, "What are you doing?"

Lorelai ignores her. Maybe its the booze, maybe its the music but she walks up to the bar. The Handsome Bartender see her coming and smiles at her. Lorelai stops across from him at the bar. He looks at her mysteriously. She grins. _He's not running. Well that's a good start. _"I want to thank you now."

"Lorelai-" Lorelai ignores Sookie and reaches across the bar and grabs his collar. She pulls him in and kisses him ferociously and the bar go-ers start to uproar.

Carrie turns to see the commotion. Her friend runs and grabs her arm, pulling her to the bar. "She's upstaging your craziness!" Carrie gets as close as she can and squints to see the figures.

Lorelai pulls away and wipes lipstick off of his lips and then squeezes his cheek like a grandma might. "Thanks." And she turns and walks away. He looks equally shocked and pleased. Lorelai makes for the door, walking right past Crazy Carrie, who's jaw is on the floor. Sookie, shocked, returns to moment now and runs after her.

"Well, well, well, break-ups agree with her too." Carrie grabs her drink and walks back towards her group.

**Thanks for reading and reviewing. Now why do I get the feeling that's not the last we'll see of Crazy Carrie? Oh yeah, thats right! Because I'm omniscient. **


	3. Let's Remedy This Situation

**AN: I decided to write a slightly longer author's note than usual just because I want to share a couple of thoughts with my readers. First of all, I'm sorry for the title change, it was done for purely selfish and non-ff.nt (or story content) reasons. The new title is from a Will Oldham song that makes my gut wrench everytime I hear it. The song is _New Partner_ for those of you who are musically curious. Secondly, I'm really happy that people seem to like this story. It's something I've been thinking about for a while and just decided to go for it. I loved the concept of the breakup in season 5, because let's face it, as much as we hate it, we _love_ drama. Fluff gets old. And I was sort-of let down at the direction the actual show went. Sure the kiss was great-but it left me feeling a little empty, unexplainably empty. And so as usual, I turned to fanfic to fill my voids. In doing this, I found lots of great stories, but a lot of them were very similar, and thought that there had to be an angle, something different. Thus, my idea was born. Ta-da. **

Sookie walks out of the bar and Lorelai is standing idly on the sidewalk, her arms wrapped around her frame. She tentatively approaches her friend, not knowing what to expect next. This night had turned into quite the emotional roller-coaster-for both of them. Sookie looks anxiously down the street hoping Rory will pull up soon.

"Soo...", she starts hoping to open the lines of communication.

Lorelai just stands with her back to her, unmoving. Sookie walks to her left just a bit, hoping the new angle could help her decipher Lorelai's mood a little easier. Lorelai's face is blank. She turns to Sookie.

"I called Luke a couple of weeks ago. I called him, desperate to talk to him, see him, anything.I was just so broken, you know? No closure. I just couldn't move on, and hell, from my voice he probably thought I couldn't move period." She hesitates for a moment and turns her back, blocking out Sookie's sympathetic glances.

"He didn't answer or anything, I just spoke to his answering machine and practically begged him to come over. Of course, immediately I realized what an idiot I was being, how pathetic and weak I must have appeared. So I ran to the diner." Sookie, slightly shocked, lets her jaw drop a bit but remains silent so she continues. "He wasn't there so I stole the tape from his answering machine and left. When I get home, Luke, being perfect, considerate Luke, meets me at my doorstep. He not only heard my message, he rushed over to make sure I was okay."

She stops and her shoulders drop, defeated. For a moment, the air between them is thick. Sookie's mind is reeling, trying to figure out the best way to approach her friend's confession. A few cars wisp by breaking the silence. She looks back at Sookie with a face that Sookie has never seen on Lorelai Gilmore before. Disheartened and exhausted. "I told him I would respect his wishes and leave him alone. That I knew he was "out" and that I would be okay." She breathes in deeply. "And I'm trying really hard Sookie, really hard to be okay. But I don't know what I'm supposed to do without him. I don't know how to move on from _Luke._" Her voice begins to break, "I really screwed this up."

Sookie takes the two steps forward and closes the gap between the two of them, wrapping her in her arms. "Why didn't you tell me about the phone call?"

"I was embarrassed that I had turned into such a, well, _girl." _She laughs at this, breaking from their hug. "Stupid right?

Soothingly, "No."

Lorelai straightens and wipes at her eyes. "God, I've never been such an emotional drunk!" Sookie smiles.

"I have a feeling that you're going to be okay."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Rory's car pulls up to the curb and is barely at a stop when she jumps out, runs around, and hugs her mom tightly. Lorelai is surprised. "Whoa there kid!"

"Are you okay?"

"Mom's okay. Just give me a ride and some Tylenol PM, and I may even see a 'good' in my future."

"Good."

"Good." Lorelai repeats and kisses her forehead and walks to the back seat door. "All good DDs must get the coveted chaperone treatment!"

"Well in that case, allow me!" Rory runs up to open the door for them. It's locked. "Crap!" They laugh, "Don't take this out of my tip!" She exclaims as she runs around to the driver's door. She leans through the car, stretching and finally reaching the lock. Unlocking it, she holds her "just a minute" finger up to the giggling passengers. She runs back around to their side and tries again. Composed, she smooths her shirt and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "Allow me." She opens the door successfully and Lorelai smiles and climbs in, with Sookie following. Rory walks around to the driver's seat. She climbs in and adjusts her mirror so she can see her passengers. "Where to?"

With a wink, "Star's Hollow my good lady."

"Very well." Rory smiles back at her Mom and puts the car in drive.

As they drive into Star's Hollow Rory looks in the mirror at her mother absently watching the passing scenery. The ride home had been mostly quiet. Her mom had tried to make a few jokes about the evening, telling Rory that with this latest event, her "Why I'm In Therapy" list should be written on a scroll for easier keeping. Rory laughed and said she was proud her responsible girls didn't try to drive themselves home. After a few rounds of banter, the car had fallen comfortably silent. Sookie had given her a sad smile in the mirror, confirming her suspicions that the evening had turned sour on account of Lorelai's recent breakup. Rory wondered if she should tell her mom about Luke being outside of their house tonight. She didn't want to fuel a fire so she figured she'd wait until Lorelai had slept off her cocktails. She couldn't help but hope that Luke was there to talk. Rory decided to take the regular route home, not to bring any attention to the fact that anything was out of the ordinary. Therefore, they drove past Luke's. Rory watches her mom's eyes immediately turn towards the gazebo seconds before the diner was in view, avoiding any heart-stabbing views at what could have, or rather should have been.

Lorelai knew that, barring present circumstances, should probably would be up in Luke's apartment right now, watching Jon Stewart and stifling laughs at Steven Cobert's inane interviews as to not wake Luke. Maybe she would be asleep as well, nuzzled in Luke's warm shoulder. The car suddenly felt cold.

Sookie noticed the Luke's apartment light was on. As unusual as it was, being past midnight, Sookie wasn't surprised.

The cold, quiet car pulls into Sookie's driveway.

"Mrs. Melville, we have arrived at your stop." Sookie smiles at Rory. "Thanks for the ride sweetie. Come by the inn tomorrow and I'll make something special for you as a 'thank you'." "No problem Sookie, get a good night's rest okay?" Sookie nods and squeezes Lorelai's hand. "I'll see you tomorrow?" It was more of a question than she had originally intended, and probably more sympathetic than Lorelai would have approved of, but nonetheless, Lorelai looked at her and smiled sincerely. "Thanks for the girl's night Sook." Satisfied with the non-answer, Sookie offered another smile and got out of the car. They watched her inside and Rory started to back out of the driveway.

The rest of the short trip was driven in silence. Rory noticed her mom preparing to exit the car as they approached the driveway, grabbing her purse and taking off her seatbelt. And tonight, Rory figured she would allow such a get-away. They could talk in the morning. And as predicted, as the car stopped, Lorelai offered a quick "Love ya kid," and headed straight for the door, the stairs, and then her room.

As the morning came, Lorelai noticed many things awry. Firstly, she had not closed her curtains the night before, allowing the unforgiving sun to cut through the thin sheet that was over her head. Secondly, upon opening her eyes, she immediately felt the very bad effects of the dreaded hangover and light combo. And thirdly, she felt the under wire of her bra cutting into her skin. "Push-ups don't pay!" She exclaimed to no one. Thus causing movement and the dizziness, aches, and nauseousness to set in. "Argh!" She sat up to fight off the room that was spinning, and immediately removed her bra. As she threw it across the room, an unsuspecting Rory caught it in the face. She laughed as it fell to the ground, falling off of her head. "Good morning to you too!"

Lorelai groaned as Rory approached the bed with a tall glass of water and a hand of Tylenol. "We forgot to prep you for this morning last night. I had full intentions of drowning you in water and antacids-" Lorelai gives her a questioning look, that ends up looking more like a glare, but Rory gets the gist and answers, "-a Rory approved remedy." She had intended to follow that statement up with, 'but you ran upstairs before I got the chance.' Hopefully starting a dialogue about the previous night, but from the look of things, it was far too soon to venture beyond the accepted boundaries of normal morning banter.

Lorelai took the Tylenol down with the water. She immediately made a face. "Yuck...I hate morning after water."

Rory smiles. "Ahh, a sentence. Have we traveled beyond the land of cursing push-ups and mother vodka?"

Lorelai gingerly lays back down, unable to even force a smile. "Not quite yet kid."

Rory sits on the edge of the bed and Lorelai's face expresses discomfort as the bed moves. But Rory doesn't move and the expression passes as she becomes used to the new position without the overwhelming need for a wastebasket.

"You need anything else?"

"A catheter and a dumb-bell to the kitchen so I never have to leave this bed again."

"Coming right up." Rory responds dead-panned.

After a minute of no movement, Lorelai braves the harsh morning light to open her eyes. "Well..."

Rory looks at the serious expression on her mother's face. She can't help but let out a small laugh, then trying to sympathize with her ailing mother, "Mom...you couldn't be serious." Nothing but a serious face stared back at her expectantly. "I don't joke with hammers taking turns on my temples." "Well apparently metaphors aren't out of the question." A glare. "Sorry." She says quickly and then sighs, "I can get you anything, feasible given the equipment in a half a mile radius of this spot here." She points to the bed.

Her mom's expression doesn't change as she re-closes her eyes. " Well you said, 'coming right up', I figured it would be 'coming right up'."

Rory smiles. "How about coffee, a cold shower, or, um, maybe even a talk?" She decided she might as well try.

"Yes, emphatically no, and I know I owe you one after waking you up to come pick us up last night, but not yet, okay?" Rory nods even though her mom's eyes remained closed. She stands to go downstairs for the coffee portion of the request, again moving the bed much to Lorelai's discontent. A groan is heard as Rory walks out of the room. She shakes her head. _It's going to be a long morning. _

Sookie St. James Melville was not a person that particularly enjoyed meddling in other people's lives, but this morning she had risen bright and early, feeling good post-pill-popping and water guzzling the night before. She had given her husband a quick kiss as she tip-toed into the kitchen. She needed orange juice and a bagel. Some may have said that it was an irrational craving that could have been easily taken care of with an omelet, perhaps pancakes, a glass of apple juice, coffee. But Sookie's mind was on one thing, well two things, and two things only. A tall glass of OJ and a bagel. Much to her delight, she opened the fridge and saw a carton of OJ. One out of two isn't half bad. She was feeling optimistic. It was half-good. Sadly, delight turned to dismay as the carton had been put into the fridge empty, not even a drop left. Damn Jackson and she mentally took back the sweet morning kiss she had so lovingly given him moments before. She could go to Doose's but his bagels were the prepackaged, frozen kind that could, and should be only used in a game of ice hockey. Maybe she took it as a sign, or maybe subconsciously she had already made her mind up long before the OJ craving had taken hold, but either way, she was going to go to Luke's. And by god, she was going to meddle.

**We are getting somewhere. Promise. And now that I have you back into the safety and comfort of Star's Hollow, may the journey continue. Keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle and if you think you know what's going to happen next, think again! (On the post-"24" dramatic dum-dum-dum roller coaster. Go with it.)**


	4. Shaken, Not Stirred

**AN: I'm having so much evil fun with this story. I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am. Oh, the torture. I prefer to listen to Pearl Jam's "Nothing Man" while reading. Do it, for masochistic pleasure.**

Luke had finished closing up around 9 o'clock. It was especially slow for a Friday night, but it was no surprise. Luke had successfully alienated all of his old customers, (excluding Kirk of course), and he was sure the new ones were at Weston's enjoying the less-than-stellar coffee after being thrown out on their asses. He walked up the stairs to his apartment, tired and angry, stomping as he went. He pushed the door open, and as he walked through he kicked it closed. He opened the refrigerator to grab a beer, and suddenly wished he had something stronger. He knew it was beer or nothing so it would have to suffice. He sat on the couch in a huff and opened his beer.

Just like the multitude of nights before, he settled into the couch his mind wandered to Lorelai. What was she doing? Would she ever come back into the diner? More importantly, was he a complete ass? He knew the answer to that. Of course he was an ass, and that was the problem. That's where the problem began and ended. He was stupid enough to think that she could've been it. Damn Christopher, damn the Gilmore's. She would always have that dark sided past, present, _future._ He tried to console himself saying that he did what he had to do, before either of them got in too deep. They could never have a happy ending, and why didn't he see that before? Hindsight is 20/20. And as much as it hurt, he knew Christopher was her _one._ He had been there all those years, watched him prance in and out of her life, her always letting him comeback. It was just a matter of time before he weaseled himself back in. And now, he was sitting alone in his dark apartment, sulking over what never could be.

And it wasn't that she lied to him, he could forgive that, it was that inevitably, he would get hurt. He couldn't ask her to choose between her parents and Rory's father, and him. He knew Rory came first and she could never cut off that part of her life. _And she shouldn't have to choose,_ he scolded himself.

He was tired, tired of going over and over this in his head. Every night was the same and it was all getting too much. And Luke Danes never admitted needing someone, but he needed someone now. He needed to talk to someone, anyone. He needed closure, and composure, and release. His bottled emotions were slowly leaking out in spurts of angry outbursts, uncontrollable flailing of legs causing oven's to need repair, and stomps that invaded his footsteps. He hadn't always had to deal with upsets alone, he bitterly thought of his _former_ friendship. He picked up the phone and dialed a number, sighing as he noticed his emotions coursing through his fingers, making them shake.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, it's me, Luke."

_"I know who this is big brother! How are ya? I'm so glad to hear from you!"_

"Liz, are you busy tonight?"

_"Not really big brother. Are you okay, you seem a little, upset."_

"Could you come to Star's Hollow tonight? I know it's a lot to ask, but you could stay here. I jus-"

Cutting him off, "Of course. Is everything okay? Is it Lorelai?"

Luke grimaced. He had gone a month without telling her, and he knew he should have told told her earlier. But he knew what she would have said. She would have rightfully called him an ass. Well, better late than never.

_"I'll take that silence as a yes. I'll be there in an hour or so._" And with that, she hung up, leaving him defeated. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea. He hadn't gotten a chance to tell her not to bring TJ. As much as he annoyed him, he would rather not kill her sister's husband. And tonight, if TJ showed up, Luke knew it would probably end in bloodshed.

And after what seemed to be five minutes, a knock on the door drew Luke from him groveling. He opened it and Liz stood there looking concerned.

"You look like shit."

"Thanks. Nice to see you too sis."

She walked in and gave her brother a hug, and surprising both of them, Luke her hugged back. She lead him to the couch and turned towards him.

"So what happened?"

"I'd really rather not talk about it right now."

"Luke! Why'd you call me over here then? Of course you want to talk about it. Now spill!"

"We broke up."

"Well duh."

Luke gave her an annoyed look.

"Sorry. Continue."

"We went to this wedding thing, her parent's were re-exchanging vows or some shit like that."

"Aww, that's so cute. I love when couple's do that to reconfirm their love later in life. It's so sweet, like a fairy-tale!"

Luke abruptly gets off the couch. Liz looks at him questioningly as he starts pacing. "I knew this was a bad idea!"

She looks regretful. "I'm sorry Luke! Here I am going on and on about everything else. Just sit down, I'm listening now."

"I just don't know what to do Liz!"

"Well tell me what happened."

He continues pacing and starts talking, barely taking a pause, he needed to get this out and she wasn't going to interrupt anymore. And god-dammit, violence was not the answer.

"Well first she sees that her ex, Christopher, also know as Rory's father, jackass of the century, was there. And immediately confesses that she had stayed the night with him a few weeks ago, when his father died. Completely innocent, and I believe her, they just stayed up all night talking. And I was pissed, but wasn't ready to call things quits or anything. She apologized, and that's not even the point. It becomes painfully obvious that Christopher is trying his best to make me uncomfortable, and we get into this fight, and he says something about me and Lorelai being temporary, and that him and Lorelai belonged together and that her mother told him that and she just stood there, and, god Liz, it just sort of hit me. He was right. They do belong together. And I left, and she came and found me and I told her I needed time."

"How long ago was this?"

Luke looks down and meekly replies, "A month ago."

"A month! You needed a month of time!"

"Well not exactly. The next day she came up to me and tried to push me, so I told her I couldn't do it. I couldn't be in the relationship anymore." Luke stared at his shoes avoiding the wide-eyed, jaw-dropped looks he was sure her face held. He continues, slower and more deliberate. "I had to get out Liz. He was right, the son of a bitch was right. And I know it, if I didn't get out now, I would be even worse off later. And her mother told _him_ that. Granted Lorelai doesn't exactly confide in her mom all that much, but surely her mom knows something about how serious she is, _was_, about me."

Gently, "Well what did Lorelai say?"

He sighs deeply, his words cutting through his stomach as he spoke them out-loud. "We never really talked. I mean, she pushed me, and I pulled away, told her I was out. And that was that, I've hardly seen her since."

"Maybe she could have explained..."

He gets heated once more, "There's nothing to explain!"

"Luke, I think that she probably is the authority on what she wants. Not this guy, not her mom. But her. You should have heard her out."

He sighs and sits beside her on the couch, head in hands. She continues, "This isn't the first time this has happened."

He breathes deeply. "What?"

"It's not the first time you let your insecurities keep you from being with Lorelai." Luke grunts. "Jess told me all about it, from when he was here."

"Jess!"

"Well when I told him that you and Lorelai got together he said _finally_ and then proceeded to tell me how you had set your eyes on her long ago. And I'm not blind, I saw it too."

Bitterly, "Well it doesn't matter now."

"Luke, you are the most wonderful guy I know. You're the rugged prince that sweeps the princess off her feet."

"Look Liz, as much as that makes me want to gag, I appreciate it. But I'm not looking for a pep-talk. It's over, we're over. I just need to get over it."

"It's not too late Luke!"

"Oh it is Liz. You don't get two chances with a girl like Lorelai."

"You've always been too stubborn for your own good Luke Danes! Why don't you just go talk to her. Swallow the damn pride and just see what she says. You never know. And, who cares if you come up empty, at least you tried."

"You think she'll even talk to me? It's been a month and I hurt her Liz, I know that. I was never going to be that guy, but I was. I _am_."

Liz looked sadly at her brother, "Go."

Incredulously, "Now?"

"Yes! What are you waiting for?"

He gets up. "Are you sure?"

"Go!"

He runs his hand through his hair and walks out of the door.

He stands in front of the Gilmore house for an eternity. He looks up to her bedroom window, seeing the lights off. He carefully takes in the rest of the house. Lights on in Rory's room, in the den, and the porch light was shining obnoxiously bright. He took a deep breath contemplating on how to proceed. _This is stupid!_ He turns to leave and hears the front door open. A hurried Rory stands locking the door, he's frozen in place, desperately wanting to run, hide, scream in embarrassment.

"Hi."

He stares frozen and then mumbles something about leaving, something about sorry, and he turns quickly and walks away. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._ He hears Rory's car pull out of the driveway and drive away. He stops.

She was going to tell Lorelai that he was there. Pathetically standing in their yard. He balled his fists in determination and turned back towards the house, walking with purpose.

He knocked tentatively at first. _Nothing. _He looked in the driveway and saw that her jeep was in the driveway. _She had to be home. _He knocked a little louder. And louder, and louder, until before he knew it, he was banging on the door. He stopped mid-swing, and dropped his fist, defeated. And then it hit him. _She wasn't home. _He turned quickly, and walked away, dully noting his suitcase of dignity lying open on the front porch.

"She wasn't there." His voice startled Liz who was deeply engrossed in late-night television.

"What?"

"She wasn't home. I mean her car was there, but she wasn't. Oh and I ran into Rory, who will surely tell her I was there. But more importantly, she wasn't home, and she wasn't with Rory. She was out."

"Not necessarily what you're thinking Luke..."

"What am I thinking?" He snapped at her. At her stunned silence, "Well you're obviously thinking it too! It's too late."

"Maybe she's working late?" She lamely tries.

Luke grunts and walks to the kitchen staring into the street. He's silent. She dared not to speak. He broke the silence when his ruthless leg kicked the cabinet. "God-dammit!"

She tried again, fruitlessly trying to soothe, "Maybe she was asleep?"

He grabbed the side of the sink and dropped his head low, softly repeating, "God-dammit."

At a loss for anything else, Liz gave in to an overused, and, in this situation, a short-coming, "I'm sorry Luke."

He remained at the sink for a while longer. Conan O'brien was causing audience laughter. Liz was rocking uncomfortably on the couch. Luke straightened, and without looking at LIz said, "You can take Jess' bed. Thanks for coming tonight."

"I can leave if you want me t-"

"No, take Jess' bed, or the couch, whatever you want." And he walks into the bathroom and shuts the door. Liz hears the shower begin to run and looks sadly to the closed door. Helplessness and sadness flush through her body, causing a sharp, dull ache in her abdomen.

By the time Luke emerges from the bathroom, Liz had re-positioned herself on the couch with a blanket, having returned to watching tv. She didn't speak as Luke threw himself on his bed, and slowly got under the covers. She turned the tv off and slowly drifted to sleep, trying to ignore the ache.

Luke wakes up, painfully early, another night of little-to-no sleep. Liz is sleeping soundly on the couch as Luke silently gets up and ready for another horrible life-without-Lorelai day.

His mood is no better today, much to Kirk's delight as he scoops the 'fishy smelling eggs' into his mouth. Luke is busy scooping coffee into a filter, as he hears a familiar voice. "Can I get some orange juice and a bagel?"

Sookie? What's she doing here? Luke sighs as he recalls his late night visit to Lorelai's house. _Probably here to tell me to stay away._ She clears her throat and he slowly turns around.

"Hey Luke." She says carefully. He grunts a little, and she continues. "I hope it's okay I'm here. I wasn't sure if I was banned from the diner or anything."

Luke takes an interest in writing her order and sighs. "_No one_ is banned Sookie."

"Well that's good." Again, a grunt.

"So OJ and bagel?"

"Yeah."

He turns to go retrieve her order and she stops him. "Hey Luke?"

As he begins to turn towards him, a female comes down the stairs. Sookie stares wildly. Luke seems unfazed. "I'm going out okay hon?" Sookie's jaw drops further, but she seems invisible to both of them.

"Okay Liz."

Liz?

She walks out of the diner. He turns back to Sookie and sees her disbelieving look. He immediately explains, "My sister."

Relief floods through Sookie as she looks back at the retreating figure who had been stopped my a familiar face. Sookie squints and cocks her head at the woman hugging Liz. _Who is that? _Nothing comes to her so she turns her attention back to Luke. "So...sister."

"Yeah. Not that that matters." Bitterness slides off his tongue like venom.

"Luke, she misses you."

He scoffs.

"I think you should talk to her."

He scoffs again, bigger. "I tried."

She looks at him. "When? At Doose's? That was hardly talking Luke."

"No."

Sookie was confused. "Well when then?"

He sighs knowing no way out of this confrontation. "Last night."

Panic slightly starts bubbling. Nervously she spits, "Last night? When last night?"

"I don't know. Midnight? I doesn't matter, she wasn't home. She was _out." _

The previous night's events start flickering through Sookie's head. The meltdowns, the drinking, _the kiss. _"Luke, she was with-" She freezes. _The kiss. _ She turns back to the two women on the street. That woman! Nervously she asks, "Luke, who's Liz talking to?"

Confused, "Crazy Carrie. Why?"

Crazy Carrie. _The Crazy Carrie._ Oh no! Her face, she was there last night! Sookie jumps off her stool and runs for the door, leaving a confused and annoyed Luke in her wake. "Sookie!"

**TBC**

**So much bitterness! I need a thesaurus. **


	5. It's Not Olive Juice, It's Truth

**AN: I want to take a second to thank my loyal reviewers. I try to tell myself that I'm not dependent on reviews, but as it turns out, I am. I love them and they inspire me to write more and update more frequently. And for that, I sincerely say, "Thank you" to all those who have been reviewing and coming back for more. And that's really all I wanted to say. "Thank you." Oh, and, expect something light-hearted from me in the future, with writing drama and now that the actual show is stressing me out with drama, I'm about all-drama'd out. But not yet. Oh, not yet. This one has been writing itself, and for some reason, it can't get away from that genre. But I'm okay with that. It needs to go where it needs to go. Stay tuned.**

Sookie slipped out of the diner, barely hearing Luke's fleeting "Sookie!". She would have to meddle later. Right now she had to play some major interference, some major defense. As she approaches the two women she hears Carrie asking why Liz is here. And, to Sookie's dismay, Liz answers, "Well Luke and Lorelai broke-up."

"Oh I know! I went out last night and actually-"

Super Sookie to the rescue. "Yeah, Carrie right? I saw you last night!"

Carrie and Liz turn questionably to the stranger.

"I'm Sookie. Sorry to interrupt, I was just passing by." The remark would probably be a lot more convincing if she wasn't desperately trying to catch her breath.

Liz cocks her head, "Sookie?"

"Yeah I'm a friend of-um-Luke." Her head spun as she tried to find a way to interfere news that was moments from Carrie's mouth.

She glanced into the diner and saw Luke watching the scene with intense curiosity.

Carrie opened her mouth. "So you were out with Lorelai?"

Liz's head spun back to Carrie. "Lorelai?"

_Oh god. _"Yeah." She nervously laughs. "Just two girls out on the town."

She looks in the diner and her heart nearly jumps out of her chest as she notices Luke still watching them, and worse, starting for the door to join them.

"Oh god."

"Are you okay hun?" Liz asks and places her hand on Sookie's shoulder.

"Okay let's cut to the chase," Luke approaches the door and Sookie sees Kirk stopping him. She turns her attention to Carrie. "You can't tell Luke."

Liz looks stunned. "Tell Luke what?"

"I don't even know you." Carrie looks at the stranger apprehensively and crosses her arms defensively. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Tell Luke what!" Liz repeats desperately.

Liz's presence seems to be all but forgotten.

"She was drunk and sad, and-and, it didn't mean anything. It'll just cause trouble."

"If someone doesn't tell me what's going on soon-"

Carrie explains proudly, "I saw Lorelai making face with some bartender last night. Real looker, probably 28."

"What! How could she!"

Sookie looks defeated. "Please, I'm begging you, don't tell Luke."

"Don't tell Luke what?"

In Sookie's desperation, she had failed to realize that Luke had broken away from Kirk rather easily, with a threat and a glare, and had joined them seconds earlier. And he looked pissed.

Lorelai had made it down the stairs and was holding coffee number three in her hands. The Tylenol had began to kick in and she was enjoying a syndicated version of "Sex and the City". Rory popped her head in from the kitchen.

"I'm going to go get us some food. Any requests?"

"Pancakes." She stops and adds quickly, "Frozen, from Doose's."

Rory meekly suggests, "I could go to Luke's?"

Lorelai sighs. "Hon..."

"I don't think he's mad anymore." She stops and silently contemplates. "I mean he came here last night."

Lorelai jerks her head towards Rory causing her to spill coffee onto her exposed thigh. "Shit! Shit!"

Rory runs from the kitchen with paper towels in hand and quickly gives them to her mom who has jumped off the couch. She pats her leg. "Dammit."

Rory stands by submissively. Lorelai's head is spinning, and her chin quivers and rubs her leg a little longer than necessary, gaining composure to face her daughter with the millions of questions running through her mind.

She breathes deeply, standing upright, burned skin, dry and momentarily forgotten. "What?"

"He was here last night. Outside. When I was leaving to come get you guys." She pauses as her mom sits back on the couch in a stunned silence. "I didn't tell you cause I knew you were already upset, and you were in no condition to deal with that last night." She adds hopefully.

Lorelai's head falls, (with her expression), and she places her head in her hands. "Did he, _say _anything?"

Rory sits next to her mom, hand on undamaged thigh. "He was just standing in the front yard. I think I startled him. He said he was just leaving and left before I could ask him anything." She looks at her mom sympathetically as she groans softly. Rory continues. "I think he was here to talk." Lorelai groans louder.

Rory looks at her, "Are you okay?"

Lorelai looks up from her hands, "So far from okay Rory. So far."

"No it's a good thing! He wanted to talk. Which could only mean one thing! He wants to get back together!" Rory is trying to telepathically convince Lorelai to be happy about this, deducting that if she is cheerful enough for both of them, some of the excitement would spill over onto her mother. Her face falls when she realizes that her mother's expression of sadness has only deepened.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh Rory, at no point in my life have I ever planned on saying this to my daughter, or anyone for that matter, but," She pauses trying to will time to move backwards, but to no avail. She continues, "Mommy made out with a hot bartender last night."

And if it weren't for the circumstances, they both would have laughed and Rory would cover her ears and let out an over-exaggerated 'Ewww' and Lorelai would laugh at her own antics. If it weren't for the current circumstances. Rory instead lets out a soft, "Oh."

Lorelai matches her tone with a, "Yeah."

"Oh Mom..."

"Yeah I know how to screw 'em up right don't I?"

Rory counters, "Well you were broken-up, it doesn't technically count."

"Oh, it counts. It'll count to Luke, and it counts to me."

"Mom,"

"Yeah, so I guess that's that."

"Maybe he doesn't have to know."

Lorelai lets out an ironic laugh, "We've done this before I believe. It's called break-up number one."

"Well maybe if you just explained it to him-"

"Told him what exactly? That I was drunk?"

"Well, yeah."

"Hon, I know I'm new to the whole concept, but I think it's called being in an adult relationship. Excuses like that don't fly. I'm an adult and I knew what I was doing."

"But you were confused..."

"Look hon, let's just get some breakfast. Maybe Sookie is at the inn. We can go there and get first class hangover food."

Rory looks a bit defeated. But she nods at her mom and stands up and grabs the phone. "Call her first."

Lorelai takes the phone, "Yeah, hopefully she remembered her liquids last night. Let this be a cautionary tale young one." Rory offers a small smile.

Sookie looks from Carrie to Liz, pleading quietly.

"And I repeat, tell me what!"

Liz was the first to speak up. "Look hon, let's go back into the diner."

"Don't 'look hun' me. I don't need to be ushered around like some kid! Someone tell me what's going on!" He voice had risen to a level that pierced through glass and caused the entire diner to be looking curiously out to them.

"I saw Lorelai last night." Carrie broke the tension and both Liz and Sookie looked defeated, bracing themselves for the wrath that the rest of the story would bring.

Luke remained still, glaring at the three awaiting further explanation. When nothing came, Liz stepped in. "She was at a bar with Sookie. That's all. They went to a bar."

Sookie looks relieved and tentatively continues, "We just didn't want to upset you."

Luke grunts. "She can do whatever she wants." He turns swiftly and walks back into the diner. Liz follows him with her eyes and then turns to look at Sookie who is letting out numerous sighs of relief.

"He's going to find out. It's a small town."

"I know, I know, just, could you not tell him now. Lorelai should tell him."

"He's really upset about this whole break-up thing. I think he should know now. Maybe it'll help him get over her. He deserves to know."

"Aww, is poor Luke heartbroken?" Carrie ask suggestively.

Liz sighs, "Not now Carrie." Carrie steps back dejected.

Sookie looks thankfully towards Liz. "Look, I understand, i just-" She starts again. "She was really upset last night, and she just thought she had to prove to herself that she could move on." Liz looks sad at this. Sookie continues, "I only have the best of intentions."

Carrie chimes in, "It seems like your only intentions are to protect Lorelai."

"No she's right. Lorelai should tell him. She has until I leave, but at 6 o'clock today I'm leaving, and he's going to know from me. I can't keep this from him."

"Okay, thank you, I understand." Sookie starts walking backwards. "Nice to meet you two." And she nearly falls over herself to run to tell Lorelai.

Liz and Carrie look on slightly amused. "She's a little on the spazzy side." "Yeah." Liz looks into the diner sadly and watches as Luke growls at a customer. "I just hope Lorelai will do the right thing."

"Well Michel said she's not at the inn and Jackson hasn't seen her. And her cell seems to be off."

"Well maybe frozen pancakes won't be that bad."

Lorelai chides her daughter, "They're actually pretty good, just load them up with lots of butter and syrup-"

A loud knock at the door causes both girls to startle. They look at each other questioningly and Rory moves to answer the door. Lorelai sits on the couch and wraps a blanket protectively around her, fearing the worst. Rory's hand has barely turned the knob when Sookie bursts through the door out of breath. She puts her hands on her knees shaking her head disapprovingly repeating, "Bad, bad, bad,"

"Bad?" Lorelai asks fearfully as Rory places her hand on Sookie's back. "You okay Sookie?"

Sookie shakes her head forcefully and continues trying to catch her breath. "Bad."

"Okay, we covered 'bad'. Care to fill us in? You're kinda freakin' me out here Sook." Lorelai pauses. Couldn't be the inn, she just spoke to Michel, and Jackson, so it couldn't be that. Which only left..."Sookie?" Lorelai asked fearfully.

"Crazy Carrie! Bar!"

"Crazy Carrie?" Lorelai and Rory were now sufficiently confused. "What in the world could Crazy Carrie have to do with anything?" Lorelai almost laughs until she sees the look on Sookie face.

"She knows."

"She knows? Knows what?" Shock flashes through Lorelai's face, joining fear and introducing dread, she repeats a bit more forcefully, "Knows what?"

Sookie glances questionably to Rory and continues, "Knows, knows..."

Lorelai sinks into the couch stunned and Rory catches up. "Oh. Oh! Oh no! Bad!"

Sookie nods thankfully. "Bad." She can finally manage a sentence, "And Liz knows too."

At this Lorelai shoots up. "Liz!" _This isn't happening._

_"_Bad, bad, bad!" Rory repeats.

"Crazy Carrie told her," She pants, "And Luke came up,"

Lorelai's hand flies to her mouth, "No!"

Sookie shakes her head. "He doesn't know. Yet."

"Yet?" Panic takes over. "Oh god! Yet?"

"Liz said she's going to tell him if you don't. Today!"

"Oh god!" Lorelai falls back on the couch.

"How does Crazy Carrie know?" Rory pipes in questionably.

Lorelai rises up again to look at Sookie.

Sookie concedes, "She was there! Last night. She saw it for herself." Lorelai groans.

"You have to tell him Lorelai."

"I'm going to throw-up." Rory runs to her mom's side and grabs her mom's hand. Lorelai gently pulls away and runs to the bathroom, her hand on her face. Rory falls onto the couch and Sookie slowly joins her, finally able to catch her breath. "This is bad."

Rory nods. "Maybe he'll forgive her."

"I hope so hon. I hope so."

Rory gets up and walks to the bathroom door. She knocks lightly, "Can I come in?" She thinks she hears a soft, "Yes" and opens the door carefully. Lorelai sits on the side on the tub and doesn't look up from her hands when Rory walks in. She sits beside her on the toilet.

"It's going to be okay Mom." Her mom's shoulders shake lightly and she continues gently, "He'll forgive you. I know he will. This isn't you. That wasn't you. Luke knows that. You won't lose him mom."

Lorelai gently raises her head, "I'm not worried about losing him. I've _done_ that. I've lost him. I just don't want to hurt him."

Rory gently places her hand on her mom's back. "It'll be okay."

"God I hope your right." As did Rory.

An hour, a shower, and lots of concealing make-up later, Lorelai walks down the stairs. Sookie and Rory sit on the couch and both look up as they hear Lorelai walking down.

"Ready?"

"No. But I have to be right?" She takes a deep breath and walks towards the front door. Rory runs up and gives her a hug. "Good luck Mom." Lorelai looks at her appreciatively and continues to the door. "Here I go." And with that she opens the door and disappears.

A familiar sense of uneasiness settles on Lorelai's stomach as she approaches the diner. She pauses and sighs as she sees the boat. _When did everything become so messed up?_ As she gets closer, she notices a meter-maid standing by the boat, apparently writing a ticket. Lorelai quickens her step as she approaches the woman.

"I'm sorry is there a problem here?"

"Is this your boat?"

"Well, technically yes."

"You can't park it here. I'm going to have to give you a ticket."

_Great._ "Look, it's here only temporarily. I didn't realize it couldn't be parked here."

"Ah, the famous 'plea of ignorance'." She continues writing.

"Look Lady, I'll have it moved it tomorrow, just please, don't write me a ticket. I've had a really, really bad day."

"Sympathy will get you no where." And she rips the ticket out of her book and hands it to Lorelai. "Have a nice day."

Lorelai grumbles, "Thanks, you too."

She looks down at the ticket, and then shocked lifts her head and yells at the retreating meter-maid, "Seventy-five dollars! You have to be kidding me!" The meter-maid doesn't even give her a second glance as she walks further and further away. Lorelai sighs and begins to stuff the ticket into her purse.

And then, a familiar voice comes from behind her, "I'll take care of it." She whips around surprised, face to face with Luke.

**TBC**


	6. The Twist

**AN: A shorter chapter, I apologize. I had intended to write more but the chapter needed to end where it does. Trust me. Oh, and be afraid.**

_And then, a familiar voice comes from behind her, "I'll take care of it." She whips around surprised, face to face with Luke._

She was there to talk to him, and here he was. But words were far from her mouth. She hadn't even gotten a chance to pace!

She looked at him, trying to read his expression. He looked angry, sad, relieved. She felt her mouth opening and this was confirmed by Luke's subtle lean towards her, as if she was speaking in such a low tone that hearing required close proximity. She broke her gaze from his face and remembered her purpose. Then she felt the paper still clutched tightly in her hand. She stuck it out for him and he took it gently, folding it into his shirt pocket.

"Sorry. Apparently sympathy will get you no where." She tries to laugh but his intense gaze stops her. She looks down again. She knows what she needs to say, but how to begin without resorting to the unfavorable 'We need to talk'? Her mind races but no tangible thoughts come to her tongue. Had it been minutes? Seconds? She isn't sure, but she needs to say _something_. Her guilty mouth begins to open, and he breaks the heavy silence.

"So I guess Rory told you?" The vulnerability in his voice nearly shatters her and she almost stumbles, but her feet are currently housed in boots of concrete, and she silently thanks her stiff legs. And to her surprise, her mouth opens without permission.

"Thank you." _What? Did she just thank him?_ She looks to his face embarrassed. He is understandably confused.

"What?" She wants to know the same thing. But in actuality, she knew she was thanking him for not yelling at her and telling her to leave and that he hated her. Her mind scolded her mouth, _He doesn't know, yet. Yet. _

Her eyes fix on the pavement again. Suddenly she feels a warm hand grab hers and she is moving. She nearly trips on the stairs as her mind races to catch up. Luke is dragging her confused body to his apartment. And as she registers this, she notices how gently he is tugging her. His hand wrapped softly and loosely on hers. The comforting touch causes her to grasp tighter, ensuring he not slip away. And at the top of the stairs he stops briefly to open the door, and pulls lightly at his hand, she doesn't budge. He opens the door and looks down at their hands. She realizes his circulation is being cut off, and releases his hand, embarrassed.

He walks into the room and turns around to find her still standing in the doorway. "I just thought..."

"No. You're right. Thank you." She visibly winces at her incessant mouth. He seemly chooses to ignore the wince and proceeds to turn towards the counter. She takes the opportunity to step inside of the apartment and close the door. She looks to him curiously. He is pouring a cup of coffee. He turns back and holds the mug out to her. She looks at him questionably.

He explains, "Liz made it a few minutes ago."

_Liz. _

She takes a few tentative steps and receives the coffee. For the thousandth time, her mouth opens and she stops.

He fills in the blanks, "Thank you?" He offers a smile, she accepts and returns the favor. The air thins in the room.

"So..." He begins, she sips the coffee and places it down on the table. She enjoys this moment, however awkward it may be. She fears it might be the last civility her and Luke will see for a while. "I've missed this coffee." Her voice is small and Luke smiles sadly.

He wonders if he should point out that Liz had actually made the coffee, but she knows that. So he decides on a more meaningful, "This coffee has missed you."

Her guilty eyes fall to the floor and her guilty feet start moving. She hits him with a force that causes him to stumble against the counter unexpectedly. And she has wrapped her arms around his torso, her face against his shoulder, her eyes clinched tightly shut.

He is caught off guard but gratefully accepts the hug, wrapping his arms around around her back. And he thinks he hears her murmuring "I'm sorry"s into his neck. But he smells her hair, and feels her breath on his neck and he kisses the top of her head.

It is when he finally hears her sniffling, when he gently puts his hands on her shoulders to try and look at her face. When her grip doesn't loosen, he dips his head towards hers.

"Lorelai?"

And he thinks he hears her say "Not yet." But he definitely feels her voice and is overcome with emotion. And places a lingering kiss on her temple, to assure her, he assures himself. But doesn't pull away as his lips slowly move to her cheek, and his eyes shut as he holds her in his arms.

And he breathes in deeply as his mouth unintentionally slips further down her face. And the sniffling has stopped, and so has both of their minds as he places a gentle kiss at the corner of her mouth. She turns her head and meets his lips with need and passion, and he accepts her need and raises her desperation. In a moment of weakness, their mouths open and desperately try to hold on to each other, avoiding the inevitable parting of bodies, words speaking, truths told. His lower back throbs as he feels the counter top forcing itself into his skin. And her hands are pulling his shirt so taught that he can feel the fabric pulling at his neck. He groans, partly in pain from the near death by flannel, partly because of how good it feels.

The guttural noise snaps Lorelai out of his arms and she flies across the room, saying "I'm sorry" several times nearly knocking over his bedside table. He is shocked and panting and straightening his shirt and watching her as she continues making the gap between them larger and larger.

"Would you stop saying that!" He comes off harsher than he intended but the words are coming off of a near-death experience, seeking air. And she stops, looks at him, and mutters the words she had been avoiding for the majority of her life.

"We need to talk."

**AN: See I can be nice. Sort of. TBC**


	7. Even If You Cannot Hear My Voice

**AN: Hi. Thanks for the reviews. I love 'em! You guys rock. And I am seriously taking all of your requests into consideration. Enjoy!**

_"We need to talk." _

Luke's head drops. He thought he had made his intentions perfectly clear. Intentions that they both were still trying to regain normal breathing rates from. He knew they needed to talk but her body language was something he was very afraid of.

"Lorel-"

"No, please let me start, because if I hear what you have to say I doubt I'll be able to do this." She looks down, guilt flashing through her eyes as his stomach unsettles further. She plays with the zipper on her hooded sweatshirt, avoiding eye-contact.

He takes a step forward and tries again, "I'm sorry."

She looks up at him and her pained expression stops him in his tracks. Her voice pleads him, "Please don't."

She takes a deep breath. "Last night," He raises his head, interested. She meets his eyes and starts again. "Last night Sookie and I went to a bar." She pauses to take in his expression. He notices. "I know."

"Y-you know?"

"Yeah, you and Sookie went out last night. She told me that this morning." He's exasperated. "What's this all about Lorelai?"

It wasn't relief she felt, it wasn't dread, or even guilt anymore. It was sadness. He stood in front of her, so trusting, vulnerable. It was like she was watching a train hurdling towards his back, and she could only watch it get closer, and no matter how loud she screamed, and cried, or ran and hide, it was going to hit him, hard.

She dug through possible ways to inform her ex-boyfriend that while he was out seeking reconciliation, she was out trying to convince herself to get over him. And a thought from last night came back to her. This time it wasn't expressed in anger, it was quiet and pleading.

"Why didn't you let me talk, apologize, explain?" The desperation hits Luke's ear and he drops his head, "Lorelai."

"I know, I pushed you, but god Luke! None of this should have ever happened!"

They stood in a moment of silence, Luke replaying her words in his head, Lorelai willing her concrete boots to return. His disappointed, hurt, _angry_ face kept flashing through her head. And with every image of his conceived perpetual reactions, it became harder and harder for her to let the words come out. And he began speaking so quietly Lorelai had to wonder if he had been speaking the whole time.

"That's what I was coming to do last night. _Talk. Listen._" He looks up to her, "And I know I should have tried sooner, but I had just convinced myself that _he _was right. That maybe we weren't going to end up together, and I figured I was doing us both a favor."

"Well you are more stupid than I thought."

He looks at her and realizes that her cheeks are wet, and god, that she's crying. He takes a few steps towards her and she backs away, her back against the door now. He stops confused.

"What's wrong? Please just...Is everything okay?"

It was D-Day in Lorelai's mind, and tiny soldiers were marching up her throat, and her head was clear, and the words were finally approaching her tongue. The door provided support that she didn't realize she needed, but her mouth opened as she gave one last parting glance at her unsuspecting victim, who's face would later be put on her dating record beside a big red proclamation, smashed too hard on the ink pad, smearing excess ink on the page, reading boldly to anyone that dared peek: "Manslaughter."

"Last night," A heavy pause, a deep breath. She begins to continue, "I-" And a strange vibration hits her leg. She slams her hand on her thigh, confused. Luke follows her hand and seems even more bewildered.

"What?"

Again, the vibration, and Lorelai throws her head in her hands and groans in realization. She pulls her phone from her pocket and explanatorily reveals the phone to Luke. She shakes her head in frustration as she presses "Talk."

"Hello?"

Luke takes this moment to pick his heart up off the floor. In the last thirty seconds he had been hopeful, regretful, curious, foolish, sad, mystified, and then, horrified. He was sure that Lorelai had been showing signs of some sort of mental or physical breakdown when she had suddenly threw her hand on her thigh mid-tearfall. He had nearly called an ambulance because the odd behavior and sudden jolts of motion. Oh, and then he felt stupid. Of course, a phone.

Lorelai starts pacing, wiping furiously at her cheeks. "What?"

Add a cup of surprised.

"They are what!

A spoon full of anxious.

"Who!"

Another dab of curious.

"I'll be right there."

And a gallon of _hopeless_.

What a sticky mess.

She hung up the phone. "I have to go."

"But-"

"Just wait here, I'll be right back. Please?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Just stay here, please?"

"Just tell me-"

"I can't do this right now! I have to go."

"Well then I'm coming. We are not done!" The words resound in both of their ears as his last proclamation hangs between them. No pun had been intended, but boy was its presence felt in every passing second of silence.

She turns and rushes out of the door. As she descends the stairs she hears him behind her. "Don't follow me!"

"We can walk and talk, please just don't leave like this."

As she rushes out of the diner, he follows. "This isn't really a walk and talk conversation Luke!"

"Where are you going?"

She turns around and huffs. "No one is hurt, or in trouble, and everything is fine, I just have to do something. I'll come to the diner when I'm done!"

"No."

She tries a softer approach, desperate for him to not come with her. He could _not_ come with her. "Please Luke, I swear, just let me do this, and I'll come back and we'll talk. Ten minutes." She begs his eyes and touches his arm softly.

"Ten minutes?" He almost kicked himself for how desperate he sounded.

"Ten or less." She promises.

"Okay. I'll be in the diner." And with that he turns and walks away, defeated.

She watches him go, and almost runs after him, but reminds herself of her purpose. If for no other reason, she had to put a stop to this for her daughter's sake! She quickly walks across the square and to her destination.

She rushes up to Miss. Patty's and pulls the door open causing the entire room to collectively gasp and go eerily quiet. The scene would appear to be any normal town meeting except for the fact that Crazy Carrie stood where Taylor was usually perched. And a movement catches the corner of her eye and she turns to see Rory coming towards her.

She hears whispers and catches a wink from Miss. Patty and can only assume the worst.

"I'm sorry Mom, I tried to stop them."

She turns to the group of nosey townsfolk angrily. "What exactly is going on here?"

Miss. Patty speaks up, "It's nothing to get upset about dear, it's just good old fashioned gossip."

"And we were just getting to the good part!" Someone anonymously yells, voice sounding very much like Gypsy, who was now hiding behind Andrew. Lorelai glares.

"I can't believe this. This is unbelievable."

Taylor, who is sitting on the stage, stands up, "What's unbelievable is how a Star's Hollow business owner, such as yourself, could be so irresponsible!"

"Can it Taylor!" Lorelai shoots her daughter a grateful glance. Taylor stands down.

" Well did everyone get what they came for? I sure feel like this has been a _great _time. Thanks for the memories." Lorelai spits more sarcasm than your mom.

And she continues, "This is over, go home people! Get a life of your own! This is _ov-er._ That you would stoop so low as to hold a town meeting to discuss my private life!"

"Well making out in a public bar isn't all that private!" Carrie speaks up and Lorelai's eyes burn into her. She's all ready to pounce until she sees Carrie wink over her shoulder, and her stomach drops followed closely by her shoulders. She turns around slowly, and sees the worst possible scenario. Worse than anger, worse than disappointment, hell, worse than the train, Luke's sorrowful and defeated face.

She closes her eyes slowly, _wake-up,_ as she hears Babette and Miss. Patty ushering everyone out and Rory grabs her hand. She opens her eyes to see Luke's retreating figure.

**AN: Can we still be friends? Not done yet: TBC. **

**And a big shout out to "MadeleineDawn". You make me want to be a better woman!**


	8. In The Caverns of Tomorrow

**AN: Okay, as always, thanks for the continued support. We're getting close to the end. I almost made this chapter just super long to finish this thing, but I decided to go ahead and post this now, with a BIG finale. Lucky number 9?**

Luke stomps into the diner, surprising Liz who sits at the alone at counter eating pie from the pie plate. She puts it down abruptly as the door slams open. She jumps up from the stool.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asks her after flipping the sign to "closed" and locking the door.

"What the hell are you doing?" She returns, motioning to the sign.

"I'm closed."

"Luke, it's one o'clock in the afternoon."

He ignores this and walks behind the counter, flipping through a thin stack of receipts. He places them on the counter and starts looking around. "That's it?"

"Luke, it's one o'clock in the afternoon!" She pauses, realizing what has probably caused his awful mood. "So you talked to Lorelai?"

He looks up at her disbelieving. "You knew!"

"Well, I just found out earlier. You remember? Scene on the sidewalk?"

He leans against the counter, back to Liz, head down. "Perfect."

She leans across the counter reaching for his hand, "I didn't think it was my place to tell you."

"Yeah much better hearing it from Crazy Carrie!"

"Wait, Lorelai didn't tell you?"

"Not exactly."

A knock comes from the diner door. Luke makes no attempt to get it, sinking farther into the counter. Liz looks out to see Lorelai who gives her an apologetic and shameful face; immediately looking down after she assumes the message was at least partially received.

"You should get that," Liz tries.

Luke pushes his body off the counter, back still to the door. He begins to walk towards his apartment. "Tell her she should just go home."

Liz sighs, "I'm not going to do that." He continues walking towards his getaway. She walks up behind him and grabs his arm. "_I'm _going upstairs. You're going to tell her whatever you want to tell her." Luke breathes in deeply as he watches Liz retreat to the stairs. He takes in another deep breath, straightening his face, and walks cooly to the door. Lorelai has her arms wrapped protectively in front of her. He opens the door, leaning against it, not quite conveying a "come on in", and Lorelai takes a small step back.

She tries to smile but her face betrays her. "Well that's not how that was supposed to go."

Luke sighs. "It's fine. It doesn't matter. Just go home."

"It does matter." She seeks out his eyes, but they are looking anywhere but her face.

He looks at her collectively. "We broke up."

She tries again, "We did break up but-"

He cuts her off and sighs, "Don't do this Lorelai."

"It's not like it sounded."

He rolls his eyes. "Lorelai-"

"It didn't mean anything."

He breaks, speaking loudly. "I don't care! It's-" He takes a deep breath calming himself. "It's fine. I just don't want to hear about it anymore. Goodbye."

She cuts in before he shuts the door. "You were wrong about me and Christopher."

He throws his head back. "That's great. You want anything else or will that be it for the day?"

Pleadingly she wrings her hands in front of her. "Don't do this Luke."

"Do what?"

"You're upset."

"Why would I be upset? It doesn't matter anymore."

"I apologized. I hate myself Luke. What the _hell _was I thinking! I wasn't thinking. That wasn't me. I just don't know what you want me to do." She pleads with him; her eyes are watery and she breathes deeply, willing herself not to cry. He looks down, as her words obviously affect him as well.

He speaks low, building his resolve. "It's fine."

"Fine?"

He raises his head slowly, looking into her face. Emotional distress printed across his features. "What do you want from me?"

"I want us."

He responds quickly and harshly. "There is no 'us'."

She steps back, stung. "Oh."

He sighs and opens the door wider. He contemplates reaching to her, but reconsiders. "I didn't mean it like that."

Her arms tighten around her frame, "No, you're right. This whole thing is silly I guess. No real reason to get so worked up over a stupid kiss. I'm single, I can do that now." Her shaky voice destroys the facade of her coolness with the issue. She continues, a little more sincere. "I just needed you to know why I did it."

"Why? Why did you do it?"

She stares at him. "Because I missed you."

He scoffs, "Well that's stupid."

She defends herself angrily, "Stupid as you thinking I belong with Christopher?"

He responds equally offended. "No. Stupid as me thinking that we could make this work."

Lorelai sighs and looks down, anger subsiding. They both remain silent until Lorelai breaks the uneasiness quietly. "That's why you came over last night wasn't it?"

"Lorelai don't."

She adds hopefully, quick and desperate, "We could still do it. We could make it work."

He sighs and leans into the door again. "I used to think that was true."

Lorelai gives up, throwing her hands up, "Look! If this is about the kiss..."

He matches her tone, "It's not about the fucking kiss!"

She softens. "Then what's left? I want to be with you."

He refuses to back down. "I think you should leave."

She looks defeated. "I don't understand."

"There's nothing to understand."

"I thought we were over! You dumped me! I was throwing myself into the wake!" She grows frustrated and considers crying, or running, or hitting him hard in the stomach.

"Don't say 'dumped'. I hate that word."

"Fine! You broke-up with me."

"You lied."

She groans. "So this is where we are now! Back here?" He was being stubborn and and his jaw was set, he made no move to speak. "What about last night? You were all ready to talk! And today! But now-"

"Things change."

She shakes her head sadly, hearing the hurt in his voice. "Luke."

"What?"

"Please, just- just don't be upset."

"I'm not."

She sighs, giving in. "Fine. If this is how you want to be, fine."

"Good."

"I'll leave."

"Great."

"Fine."

She stands there looking at him, hoping for his expression to break. She sees nothing past the stone faced Luke, defiant and stubborn. "Then leave."

She sighs and backs down the stairs, still watching him. She gives in. "Bye." He breaks her look and turns to go inside. She swears she sees pain flash across his face as he shuts the door on her. So she turns and walks away.

And as the bell quietens, he turns to see her walking across the square. He leans his forehead on the door hard and closes his eyes. He slowly pulls it back and goes in to hit it again when a knock comes on the other side. He opens his eyes quickly; hopeful. Re-closing them painfully as he sees Kirk on the other side, staring at him, mere inches through the glass. He yells through the glass, "I'm closed!"

Kirk looks at him sadly, "I'm here for ya man!"

Luke sighs and rolls his eyes. "Thanks Kirk. Now go home." He closes the blinds and turns and begins to walk upstairs. He stops, and goes into the storage room, wanting to avoid the confrontation and explanations a conversation with Liz would hold.

In the storage room he starts removing items and stoically begins stocking the shelves. After clearing out a box, he stands with his hands on his hips, head down. _Shit. What had he done? _He kicks the metal shelf so hard that the cans he had just so meticulously stocked, fell hard to the ground as he groaned out in pain. The hurt shot up from his toes and tears pricked his eyes from the intensity of the sting. He went to move, only to realize the only slightly less painful way to move was to limp. And even then-

"Luke?" Liz was coming down the stairs.

His voice was strained as he found a box to sit on, face still wincing from the pain. "In here."

"I heard a commotion-" She stops as she sees him, sitting on a box, gingerly taking off his shoe. "What happened!"

He sucks a deep breath in as he maneuvers his foot out of the boot. "I think I broke my toe."

"What? How?"

"Owwww..." he groans as he removes his sock.

"Okay, you need to go to the hospital."

"No, it's fine." He grimaces. She makes a face at the sight of the toe.

"Luke, it's black and blue, and not really looking all that 'fine' if you ask me."

He grumbles, but she knows she had won. She grabs his hand to help him up. He stubbornly tries to walk, only falling further into her side. "Okay, take it easy there buddy." He leans on her shoulder and they slowly walk out of the storage room. She takes him to the door and stops. "Let me get my car, wait here."

He mumbles painfully, "Not moving."

"I'm serious, no marathons." She tries a smile, but his face is miserable, and he glares at her. She turns and runs to get her car.

From across the square, Babette sees Liz helping Luke into her car. In exactly 5 minutes and 22 seconds, (the amount of time it takes her to confer with Miss. Patty and then find a phone), the Gilmore's phone is ringing.

Lorelai is laying on the couch, eating Mallomars. Her face is streaked with tears and Rory is sitting across from her on the coffee table. "And then he told

you to leave?"

She nods her head sadly and stuffs the remainder of the Mallomar in her mouth. The phone begins to ring and Rory gives her mom one last sympathetic glance and gets up to answer it.

"Hello?"

**AN: I go against the grain. For me, no news is _always _bad news. That being said, "Reviews are made to inspire greatness." -_anon. _ Title of this chapter from "At The Bottom of Everything" by Bright Eyes.**


	9. What We Don't Touch, We Cannot Feel

**AN: So I know I said this was going to be the last chapter but I changed my mind. Now I know that these are not good traits to have, indecisiveness and untruthfulness, but all people have flaws, so accept me for who I am. To ease my guilty conscience, my very good friend "MadeleineDawn", pointed out to me that all good things come in ten. _Friends_, fingers, toes, etc. For me, the _Friends_ reference was enough. So here it is, the next to last chapter of the story that will now also be added to that list. Maybe one day, a mother will tell her child about the greatness of things in ten and speak of _Pleasantly Low_. Yeah, that'll probably only be me, but it's a nice thought.**

Liz drove down the highway, every few minutes glancing over at Luke. His foot is delicately crossed across his other knee. With his elbow rested on the window, his hand rests on his forehead and his eyes are closed, deep in though or trying to focus past the pain, she wasn't sure which. Her curiosity breaks the silence.

"So what happened?"

"What?" He sounds tired and almost disbelieving, but she presses on.

"To your foot. I assume that it wasn't just from stubbing your toe, and I didn't hear any shelves or walls falling, although, in that case your entire foot could be broken and not just your toe…"

"Liz?"

"Yeah?"

"Stop."

"Okay." She only pauses for a moment. "So what then?"

He sighs, giving in. "I kicked the shelf."

"Seriously? Man oh man, that must have been some kick." She laughs.

Luke opens his eyes to glare at her. "Yeah, too bad we didn't catch it on video or something."

"Does it still hurt?"

He returns to his previous position shifting ever so slightly in his seat, carefully readjusting his foot. "I'm alright."

"I got some Vicodin in the glove compartment."

"I don't even want to know."

"So what did she say?"

_Here it comes. _Sigh. "Who?"

"Who? Lorelai! That's who!"

"Nothing."

"So she came to the diner to say nothing, and then she leaves, saying nothing, and you kick the shelf and break your toe. Interesting."

"Yep."

"You are stubborn!" She looks over to him, his free hand is gripping the seat belt and his knuckles look white. "You sure you don't want any Vicodin?"

"I'm sure."

"So did she tell you what happened?"

"Liz…" He groans annoyed.

"About the guy. It wasn't a date. It was the bartender,"

If possible, his grip tightens angrily. "Jeez!"

"Okay, okay. I just didn't want you to think it was a date."

"I don't care."

"Of course you do!"

He removes his hand from his forehead. "Are we almost there? Cause I can walk from here." She laughs slightly at the impossible scenario.

"Sorry. I'm done. I just think-"

He cuts her off annoyed, "Well I don't care what you think. Or Sookie, or Carrie, or Kirk, or the rest of that crazy town. I don't care what anybody thinks. Can you go any faster?"

"We're almost there."

The exit for the hospital appears. "Thank god."

Liz sits patiently reading a magazine. Luke sits in a wheelchair with his right leg extended on the footrest. A woman walks by, carefully avoiding the protruding foot.

"I feel stupid in this wheelchair. Can't I just sit in a chair?"

"Nope. Doctor's orders."

"We're in the reception. We haven't even seen a doctor."

"Well receptionist orders then. You stay put."

"It's almost been an hour."

"Unfortunately gun shot wounds and heart attacks get priority." Her eyes never leave the magazine.

A kid coughs and Luke leans into Liz. "We're going to get sick just being in here."

"Chill out Luke. They'll be with us soon." She hands him a copy of _People_. "Read this."

He eyes it and grimaces. He opens it up begrudgingly and starts to read. Someone stands over him and clears their throat daintily. Luke looks up annoyed, starting to move his foot from the walkway and sees her. He recovers from annoyed and converts to shocked.

"Rory. What are you doing here?"

She holds out a _Sports Illustrated _shyly. "Hi."

"How did you-"

"Babette."

He rolls his eyes. "Of course."

He takes the magazine and looks at it, smiling thankfully. Liz looks at Rory smiling. "So you're _the _Rory."

"The one and only. And you must be Liz?"

Liz sticks her hand out and nods. They shake and Liz gleams, "It's about time we met."

Rory smiles. Luke cuts in. "You really didn't have to come all the way here to see me."

"Well I have a serious emotional investment in your burgers and coffee. Had to make sure you were alright." She takes a seat beside him. Motioning to the magazine, "And I know the lack of reading materials in waiting rooms like these, and with the corresponding average wait time, your odds weren't looking so great."

"Well thank you, I appreciate it." He pats her knee and smiles gratefully.

"So what happened?"

Liz cuts in warningly and over-dramatic, "Don't ask."

Luke shoots her a look, annoyed. "No it's fine. I think my toe's broken."

Rory nods understandingly. "So you need anything? Snacks, soda, water? Ice? They should get you ice for your toe!" She stands up haltingly.

"Rory its fine." But she storms off to the receptionist. Luke sighs. Liz looks over to him.

"She's sweet, so worried about you and everything."

Luke rolls his eyes. Liz looks over at Rory who is standing, hands on hips waiting for the ice pack.

Liz continues, "Its good to know that there are people to look after you when I'm not around."

Luke grunts. "I don't need anyone to look after me."

Liz smiles as Rory returns. "You're good! He wouldn't let me get him any ice."

Rory smiles as she hands Luke the ice pack and he places it gently around his swollen toe. "Yeah, he can be stubborn. I just give him no choice in the matter."

Luke grunts. "Don't I know it."

Rory smiles, "Consider it payback for you force-feeding me oatmeal when I had that cold."

Luke looks at her astonished. "How do you remember that? You were like eight."

"Nine and a half actually. And I never recovered." She shivers slightly, remembering the taste.

Liz laughs and Luke rolls his eyes. "Well you certainly need _someone_ to encourage better eating habits." Rory shifts slightly and Luke stops, realizing his mistake.

It is Liz who breaks the uncomfortable silence. "So where is your mom?" Rory and Luke both look extremely uncomfortable. Luke adjusts his foot and Rory trips over what to say.

"She's um- at home. Had some inn emergency, thing." She inwardly curses her excuse. It's flimsy and they all know it. Luke grimaces as he shifts his foot. "Says 'get well soon' though." She tries to force a smile at him, but his focus is his foot, and she gives Liz an apologetic glance.

Liz shrugs and looks at Rory. "Well it was really nice of you to come."

"Luke Danes?"

The three all look relieved as the nurse calls his name.

Rory stands, "Well I guess I'll go now. Just wanted to make sure everything was okay."

Luke looks up at her and gives a small smile. "Thanks Rory."

"It's the least I can do after all those years of you looking after me."

Luke looks down to hide his blush, and Liz stands up and gives Rory a small hug. "Thanks again Rory. I think that he wouldn't have survived with that _People_ much longer."

"Well I'm sure there's still more waiting to endure." Rory pats his head, "Now you go be a good patient."

"Oh jeez."

Rory gives one last smile and turns to go.

"Hey Rory," She turns around at Luke's voice, "Come by the diner tomorrow. There will a burger and coffee with your name on them." He becomes a little nervous but dredges on, "And if the inn emergency or whatever is over-"

She cuts in, "I will."

He nods, and she smiles sincerely and walks away.

As Rory pulls up to the house, Lorelai meets her car, opening Rory's door for her, rushed. "So, so, so?"

"He's fine, just a broken toe."

"How'd he break his toe?"

Rory gets out of her car and starts walking with her mom up to the house. "Didn't say. But I got the impression from Liz it was a sore subject."

"Maybe she broke his toe!"

"I doubt it. She's a pretty small woman to go around breaking toes."

"Yeah you're right." They enter the house and Lorelai flops onto the couch. "So…"

"So, he wants us to come to the diner tomorrow."

"What? Seriously? Me?"

"Yeah. He seemed really happy that I went." Rory sat beside her mom on the couch.

Lorelai wraps her arm around Rory's shoulders. "It's nice that you went."

"Yeah, yeah."

"No seriously. I'm sure it meant a lot to him. He cares about you a lot and I know he was relieved to know that whatever there is between me and him, that nothing between the two of you would change."

"I can still be mad at him if you want me to…" Rory tries meekly.

"Not this again. Absolutely not. You will not get in the middle of this mess."

"Well maybe the mess will clear up soon. He did request your presence as well tomorrow."

"Formality. He did that for you sweetie. Luke doesn't want to see me I'm afraid."

"I don't think that's true."

"Honey, just trust me on this. It'll just make things awkward for both of us. Just because he has a broken toe doesn't change anything."

"Mom…"

"Rory…" She matches her tone.

"He's trying. I think you should go. You and I both know how stubborn Luke is. This is a step in the right direction. He asked you there, so he can't kick you out." Lorelai scoffs, "And no matter what, you know Luke cares about you. The awkward phase has to start sometime, why not tomorrow?"

Lorelai pauses for a second, doubtfully, "I'll think about it."

"Really?" Rory asks skeptically.

"Really. Now I'm going to bed. It's been a long, long day." She rises from the couch.

"Mom? Really think about it okay."

"I'll think about it, but no promises."

"Fair enough."

Lorelai kisses her forehead. "Goodnight Rory."

"Goodnight Mom."

Comments are appreciated and encouraged. TBC soon… 


	10. Special Action, Motives Unclear

**AN: This is it everyone. A double-almost triple parter. Grande finale. Enjoy.**

-s-

It was eight in the morning, when Lorelai stirred to a wake. She groaned as she glanced at the clock, realizing it was much to early to be awake, but still too late to go back to sleep. She flops onto her side and fixes her eyes on the closet. _To go or not to go._ She weighs her options carefully.

She goes, it's awkward, but Rory's right, he couldn't really throw her out. But would it be disrespectful to go? Maybe she should just stay away.

She doesn't go and maybe misses an opportunity to get back on track? And, as a wise lady once told her, always leave them wanting more. Don't show your hand too early. Did this logic even apply here?

So she doesn't go, would Luke care? Notice? Well he'd notice, but care? _That is the question._

"Enough Hamlet." Saying Hamlet reminds Lorelai that she's hungry and a nice fluffy ham omelet comes to mind.

So the decision is made. She gets out of bed and heads towards the closet. She was going to show her hand, and get an omelet in the process. Win/win.

She descends the stairs to the smell of coffee. For a second, her stomach drops. Then she hears Rory humming.

"Is that Backstreet Boys?" Lorelai startles Rory and she jumps, turning towards her mother, snapping quickly, "No!"

Lorelai smiles. "It sounded like a Backstreet Boys song to me."

Rory pours her coffee and sits at the table, trying to be casual. "No, it was The Editors."

Lorelai strolls to the coffee maker, "So do The Editor's also _want it that way_?"

"I heard Hootie and the Blowfish coming from your room last night!" Rory quickly accuses.

Lorelai's hand flies to her chest. "I have never-"

"Truce?" Rory offers.

"Yeah okay." Lorelai pours her coffee and joins Rory at the table. "Hootie's so underrated." She grumbles and Rory smiles.

"So you're in a good mood this morning."

"Well, good, not great. I'm going to do it."

"It?"

"Climb the mountains, stare into the face of death, show my hand," Rory looks confused. Lorelai finishes emphasizing the unspoken meaning, "_Go_."

Rory smiles. "Really?"

"Yeah, I figured I should mount the horse, stop doing the cowboy thing-"

"Okay, enough with the metaphors." Rory pauses, "Wait, the cowboy thing?"

"Yeah you know when cowboys do the stand-off thing and they walk with their backs to each other and then spin around and do the draw. I feel like that's what going on here, but no one's turning around, and then they'll never be a draw."

"Been thinking a lot about this have you?"

"All morning." Lorelai confesses. "I woke up two hours ago. I've been up there trying to find something to wear, and amidst all the clothes changing, I went into large spells of reflection."

"Well I'm glad you decided to go."

"Yeah. I just hope it's not too early to be all in his grill." Lorelai smiles proudly at her pun.

"How long have you been waiting to say that?"

"Since I decided to go the Bridget Jones way."

"Big undies?"

"The ugly purple ones with the elastic that's coming undone."

Rory makes a disgusted face. "Aw Mom, I thought you threw those out years ago!"

"They're so cozy, we just couldn't part! And plus, Francine kept calling out to me when I started to trash her."

"Francine?"

"I named her after that traumatizing day in '95."

"Do I want to know?"

"Nope." Lorelai grins mischievously.

Rory scrunches up her face, willing all Francine scenarios to leave the building. "Well after today, Francine goes!"

"But-"

"No buts. Francine and all memories there of, go!"

"Can't promise the memory thing, that one's burned in."

"Mom!"

"You are no fun."

-s-

"How are you feeling?" Rory and Lorelai stand on the opposite side of the town square staring into the windows of their destination. Squinting, they could see Luke leaning against the counter and Liz running around taking orders.

"A little nervous, anxious, hungry."

"Well it looks like Liz is hanging around to help Luke out."

"An eye for an eye."

"Huh?"

"Last summer."

"Oh yeah."

"Maybe I should lend Luke some of my waiters for a couple of weeks."

"Yeah, that'd be nice."

"Does it seem too girlfriendy? I don't want to come off the wrong way. I just think it would help him out."

"And it would be a nice gesture of friendship."

"Yeah, that too."

"Hey, friendship is better than no ship."

"Yeah."

"So you ready?"

"I guess so. Don't abandon me."

"After that church stoop incident?"

"I came back and picked you up! Your father didn't buy the kidnapped plot." Rory smiles. Lorelai takes a deep breath. She wraps her arm around Rory, and squeezes. "Let's go."

"Let's."

They slowly approach the diner. "Be cool."

"I am the essence of cool."

And the bell rings above the door. Luke looks up, but doesn't seem surprised. He offers them, (especially Rory, Lorelai dully notes), a small smile. Rory leads the way to the counter. Lorelai follows, a bit tamely.

"Hey Luke!"

"Hey Rory." His gaze shifts to Lorelai who is seeking refuge in his foot, the tiles, a fork that had fallen to the floor. Preparing herself for a cold shoulder.

She looks up from the cast and realizes that they are both looking at her. Luke, with intense curiosity and Rory, humorously. "Broken huh?" She finally breaks the uneasy silence.

Luke awkwardly nods. "Yep."

"You okay to be standing down here? Shouldn't you get a stool or something?" Lorelai offers a smile, hoping to clear the air a bit, one more touch of an apology that has resounded off of his ears over and over again.

He returns the smile, and then waves his hand, gruffly stating, "I'm fine. No big deal. Liz is doing most of the footwork anyway."

Lorelai nods and Rory motions to a table. "Let's go sit!"

Lorelai nods as Rory starts to walk off, and she turns back to Luke. "You okay?"

Luke motions to his foot, "Yeah it'll be fine in a few weeks."

She eyes him curiously. Gauging his somewhat friendly attitude. Well Luke is never friendly, per say, but he did seem a little less gruff than she expected. "No I mean, with us, me. Here. Is this okay?"

Luke nods his head, lips pursed together, realizing. "It's okay."

Lorelai smiles and goes to the table. Luke sighs and watches her to her table. He limps to the coffee maker, using the counter as support.

Liz approaches the table smiling. "Rory! Lorelai! You guys came!"

Lorelai smiles thankfully to Liz and Rory nods, "Of course. We couldn't live without this coffee."

Lorelai smiles, again relieved by the Dane's reactions. "So how are you doing Liz?"

"Pretty good. It's been years since I've been a waitress! I forgot how much work it is!"

Lorelai and Rory smile.

"So what would you ladies want?"

Lorelai starts, "Two coffees, ham omelet, side of bacon, side of fries."

Rory follows up, "Four pancakes, sausage, and extra syrup."

"Coming right up!" Liz turns and goes to the counter; Luke has two cups of coffee waiting. "You're good."

Luke grunts, "Doesn't take a genius."

"So…"

"So?"

"She's here."

"Yeah so."

"Good sign."

"Don't read anything into it."

"Just saying…"

"Take the coffee."

"Okay, okay!"

Luke limps to the other side of the counter and sits on a stool. Sighing.

Liz returns to the table with the coffees.

"Great service." Rory cheerfully states.

Liz smiles.

Lorelai leans into Liz, her tone hushed, "So how long are you going to be able to stick around here?"

"I don't really know. I need to get back next weekend for Ren Faire stuff, but I don't want Luke to feel like he has to do stuff. You know him; he won't really accept injury easily. I had to force myself into this apron." Liz smiles.

"Well I have a few waiters that are always looking for extra shifts, I could send them this way if you want."

Liz smiles, "That would help out a lot Lorelai."

"But you'll have to work on Luke. I don't really have much persuasive powers anymore." She smiles sadly.

Liz nods. "That I can do. I know his pain killer schedule." She grins mischievously.

Lorelai smiles. "I'll get them to come by sometime tomorrow."

"Thanks Lorelai."

"No problem. But hey Liz?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to tell Luke they're from the Dragonfly. I don't want him to put him in an awkward situation."

Liz smiles and nods understandingly. She motions zipping her mouth shut and walks

away.

Rory smiles at her mom. "I like her."

"Yeah she's nice." Lorelai smiles sadly, as her gaze shifts momentarily to Luke who is sitting on the stool, sifting through receipts.

"So it's going okay. Still happy you came?"

Lorelai smiles at her daughter, "Yeah. It was a good idea."

Rory follows her mom's glances, noticing Luke on the stool. "Poor Luke. He must hate being out of commission."

"Yeah. I give him a week before he rips the cast off and returns to business as usual Luke."

"So he was pretty friendly to you."

"Yeah." Lorelai leans in, "I'm a little perplexed."

"Perplexed?"

"I was flipping through your old SAT book and found it. Good word. I vowed to use it more often."

"Okay, continue."

"He seems a little too pleasant."

"Painkillers?"

"Maybe. I thought for sure that he'd give me the cold shoulder. I mean yesterday, our conversation, it wasn't pretty."

"Well this is good."

"Yeah." Lorelai nods and glances back at Luke; he is looking at her, but quickly diverts his eyes. "Yeah." She repeats, a little less convinced.

-s-

They finish the last bit of their coffee and Lorelai walks up to the counter, check in hand. Liz stands behind the cash register and Lorelai glances over to where Luke is sitting, she meets his eyes and looks away quickly. Liz hands her the change and sidetracked, Lorelai misjudges her purse, and it splashes to the floor.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Liz comes around to the other side of the counter to help Lorelai pick up the change.

"Oh it's my fault! I'll get it." Flustered, Lorelai sees Luke starting to get up and she looks up at him. "No, you don't have to get up. We got it." She smiles, embarrassed.

Luke nods, and raises an eyebrow amused. He remains seated. Liz hands her the change and Lorelai places it in her purse. "Sorry about that." Liz smiles and Lorelai spots another glimmering spot over near Luke. She glances to it, and almost decides to leave it, but Luke has followed her eyes, and sees it as well. Leaving it now would be a silly idea, perhaps giving off the wrong impression, Lorelai decides. So she walks over, nervously glancing at Luke's face. She slides her foot under his stool and slides the wayward coin to open floor.

She bends down, and grabs the coin, awkwardly showing Luke. She turns to leave and Luke grabs her wrist. Surprised, she looks up at his face, he looks a little nervous she notes. She looks at him questionably, and notices his thumb grazing back and forth on her forearm.

"Come back, okay?"

All she can do is nod, barely keeping the tears of relief at bay, turning and walking out of the diner.

-s-

There's a black tinted sunset, with the prettiest of skies. Lorelai and Sookie sit on the porch of The Dragonfly, sipping wine, staring into the sky.

"So you think you're going to go?"

Lorelai tears her gaze from the sky and rubs her finger around the rim of her glass. "I guess so. I just don't really understand why he's being so nice."

"Maybe he just needed to sleep on it. Maybe he feels bad for being so dismissive to your apologies yesterday."

"Yeah." She sighs. "Rory thought it could be the painkillers."

Sookie laughs, "Or that."

Lorelai grins. "Aaron and Tim are going there tomorrow. Going to see if Luke needs some help."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I told Liz. I think she's going to try and convince Luke to let them help for a few weeks."

"Good luck to Liz." Sookie looks over to Lorelai. "Is she going to tell him they're from here?"

Lorelai grins sadly, "I told Liz to, if possible, leave that little fact out. I just don't want him thinking he owes me anything, or thinking that it's just me feeling bad for all that's happened."

"Yeah." Lorelai looks back at the sky as the sun makes its final bow into the trees. Sookie continues, breaking the silence, "So…"

"So?"

"You want me to go with you tomorrow?"

Lorelai ponders this. "Maybe."

"Just let me know."

"Thanks Sook."

-s-

"Order up!" Liz runs to the counter and grabs the plates. The diner is crowded and she's struggling to keep up with the endless cycle of customers. Luke is helping customers at the counter.

Tim and Aaron walk into Luke's and look around. They see Liz running around and approach her as she leaves a table.

"Liz?"

"Yeah?"

The taller one leans in, speaking lowly, "We're from The Dragonfly."

Liz smiles. "Oh. Good, good."

"I'm Tim, this is Aaron."

"Hi."

Liz conspiratorially speaks a little louder as they approach the counter. "So you guys just dropped in to see if we are temporarily hiring?" Luke looks on suspiciously. "I'll have to talk to the boss, but your assistance may be needed." Liz looks over to Luke who meets her with a glare. Liz smiles innocently.

"Can you guys take over for a few minutes?"

Luke starts to protest but the two young men jump into action and Liz takes Luke's arm guiding him into the storage room. She shuts the door.

"What the hell are you doing?'

"They can handle it."

"How do you know? They could be thieves for all we know. We'll go back out to an empty cash register and a diner full of angry customers."

Liz grins. "They aren't thieves."

"How do you know?"

"You sort of develop a sixth sense with these things after you've been ripped off by six or seven guys."

Luke rolls his eyes. "Well we don't need their assistance. We have everything under control. I'll be back to normal in a few days."

It's Liz's turn to roll her eyes. "A few weeks Luke. And I as much as I love you and would love to help, I can't stay here too much longer. You're going to need someone to help you."

Luke puts his hands on his hips and sighs in defeat. "So these guys just came in off of the street?"

Liz smiles, "Yep. And they only want something temporary."

"That seems a little too convenient don't you think?" Luke eyes her suspiciously.

"Pure coincidence."

Luke sighs again motioning to his foot. "Guess a little extra help won't hurt." He pauses and looks at Liz. "How do we ever know if these guys can wait tables?"

Liz walks towards the door, opening it, motioning to the calm, smoothly running diner. "That was one hell of an audition don't you think?"

Luke looks impressed and she knows she won.

-s-

Lorelai walks up to the diner and through the window sees Aaron waiting a table. She smiles. She walks through the door, and Luke looks up at her. She smiles tentatively, and he nods to her. She walks to a table and sits. She's barely in her seat when Aaron approaches her table.

"Hi Ms. Gilmore."

Lorelai gives him a stern look. "Shh."

Aaron immediately shoots her an apologetic glance. "Sorry." He clears his throat. "So, what will you have ma'am?"

Lorelai smiles nervously to him, "I've barely sat down sir. Can I have a minute?" She speaks quietly, and trying to advert suspicion.

Aaron closes his eyes, and probably would hit his forehead in realizing his stupidity, but his hands are currently holding two plates. "Yeah, yeah, sorry ma'am."

"And shouldn't you deliver those plates first?"

"Gosh, I'm sorry Ms.- ma'am." He leans into her, wincing, "I don't usually do this I promise."

"I know Aaron. Now go!"

He scurries off and Lorelai flashes a smile at Luke who had obviously seen the interaction. From his face, she deduced he had not heard.

Aaron returns to the counter and Luke hands him a cup of coffee. He looks on confused. "What's this for?"

Luke looks at him questionably, "Didn't that lady just order coffee?"

Aaron looks at him blankly. Lorelai jumps up and grabs the cup from Luke. "I did. Thank you." She flashes him a smile and Aaron grimaces.

"Yeah, she did. Sorry about that. Momentary lapse of memory." He explains and Lorelai smiles innocently. Luke looks suspicious but seems to accept the explanation.

He shakes his head, "Okay."

Lorelai takes a sip from the coffee and immediately pulls the cup away. "Ow!"

Luke immediately turns to her, "You okay?"

Her burnt tongue remains between her teeth, seeking out cooling air. "Yeah, just burnt my tongue."

Luke gives her a small smile and she returns to her table.

The rest of Lorelai's first official post-break-up-return-to-the-diner-alone excursion went okay. She had waved 'bye' to Luke, who returned the gesture. She leaves feeling a small semblance of normalcy returning to her and Luke's friendship. Key word: friendship. She sighs remembering that friendship is better than no ship, and continues her walk back to the inn.

-s-

It had been four days since Tim and Aaron had began working at Luke's. She had gone in everyday, sipping her coffee, exchanging a few standard "Hi"s and "How's your day going?"s with Luke. No mention, or even reference to the events past that clouded her memory everyday. She was glad that Luke had at least accepted her friendship, but couldn't help but blame herself daily for the fact that _friendship_ was all he seemed to be accepting from her these days.

She was rounding off her daily cup of coffee, when she noticed Luke staring at her. She had caught him doing this before, everyday actually, but he usually looked away when she noticed. But today, he held her glance, and she was sure that her heart skipped a beat.

She rose from her seat, trying to ignore his gaze, writing it off as something stuck between her teeth, or worse, toilet paper on the bottom of her shoe. She checked her shoe just to be sure. But there was nothing. So she continued her journey to the cash register and he started moving towards it, ushering Tim towards table five who "needed refills".

He looked at her, who was desperately trying to mask her hopefulness. She looked back at him curiously.

"Thank you."

His voice caught her off-guard. It was more than his usual friendly-tone. It seemed sincere and, dare she think, sweet.

"For what?"

He smiles at her and she can't feel her knees. She subtly leans on a stool.

"For lending me Tim and Aaron."

She's surprised, and he smiles again.

"What?"

"Oh, I figured it out. Everytime you were in here they were tripping over themselves to impress you." He rolls his eyes playfully, "And I swear I heard them call you Ms. Gilmore a couple of times."

Lorelai winces, embarrassed. "Sorry."

Luke surprises her and covers her hand with his. "No it's okay. Thank you." Her breath catches in her throat. "I needed the help." He pauses again finding her eyes. "I can be sort-of _stubborn_ from time to time."

She smiles weakly, feeling a rush and push of tears, holding them back desperately. "Oh."

"And I'm sorry about that. Being so _stubborn._" He squeezes her hand at the word, reassuring her of his intentions.

And she over the edge. Realization, and she finally allows herself to understand the true weight of his words, and a tear slips onto her cheek. She's paralyzed and numb with shock. The only word that slips through her lips is once again, "Oh."

He smiles and leans in and kisses her cheek. She closes her eyes, and another tear escapes.

He leans into her ear nervously. "Can we, maybe, try the talking thing again?"

She turns a places a small, reassuring kiss on his jaw. "I'd like that."

**The End.**

**AN: I wanted to give you guys some huge gesture for your patience, but couldn't bring myself to do it. In the real show you got your big romantic kiss, and I didn't want to ruin this moment by writing anything more than necessary. **

**Well I hoped you enjoyed my first official series back to writing fanfic. In a small self-preserving manner, I didn't want to mention this earlier, but I've only been writing screenplays for the last four years. And as I'm sure most of you know, that's a completely different horse. Not a whole lot of inner-monologues and usually leaving a lot of details for actor interpretation. Simply put, only writing what you see. So I wrote this series as an initiation piece back into ff. Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think! **

**Also, I would feel dirty not mentioning my lovely, patient readers and reviewers. **

**I had to do the shout-outs! Sorry those who don't care. (I waited for the last chapter, so you can just skip it if you want!) I feel a strong desire to thank those who helped me through the tough times. Quotes included as my official thoughts to you as individuals and wonderful people. I love you all dearly.**

**Gilmoregrl519: ** I did. (Continue that is.) Trust me, I start nothing that I don't intend to finish! Thanks for coaxing me though! Everyone needs a good push now and then.

"It's like telling a pregnant woman to give birth." -_Me._

**Ronata:** I almost thought I killed you after chapter six! The story is, you were there for me chapter one thru six, backing me the whole way. And in your six review you warned me, "the wait will kill me if it's too long". And for two days, I was left to wonder of your fate. Thankfully, even I do not hold such powers. You were back! Thanks for all the great reviews!

"Dedication is the key to all success." -_Anon._

**Maria14: ** Thanks for the continued support! Sorry I made you sad. But in reflection, I wonder is the fact that I made you sad was why you loved my story. If that was the case, I revoke my apology and offer Red Vines plus Mr. Pibb instead.

"...Equals crazy delicious!" -_Chris Parnell _and _Andy Sandberg_

**JoEySaNgEl1534:** I like Pop-Rocks. You? Suspense is what I live for. In fact...(TBC).

"Doubt is the father of invention." -Galileo

**vandi80: **I like making people curious. And I like to be extraordinary. So thanks a million.

"Be true to your teeth and they won't be false to you." -_Soupy Sales_

**LLfreak8285:** I'm happiest you read this story. Glad to hear I got a "favorite story" slot! Also, I majored in tantric-writing in college. It's all about making you come back for more.

"A study in the Washington Post says that women have better verbal skills than men. I just have one thing to say to the authors of that study: Duh." -_Conan O'Brien_

**irish-surf-chick: **Can I be your drama pimp? I'm low on cash and need some _Sex Wax_ for my board. Couldn't help it! Gotta love a girl that surfs. (When I was in middle school I used to chew on _Sex Wax _like it was gum. Therefore, I also couldn't resist a _Sex Wax _reference.) Oh-and again, thanks thanks thanks!

"Smile, and the world will smile with you. Laugh and they'll all think you're on drugs." -_Anon._

**lukelorelai-en:** Singing makes everyone happier. I'm glad that I influence happiness in my readers. Maybe I should look into musical theater? And also _Batman _references? Can we be BFF?

"Holy handgrandes batman!" -_You._

**lorelai gilmore danes1: **I hope you ended up liking where my story was headed. I took your advice and got them back to good. You knew it was coming-you seem very intuitive. I tried to fool my audience, but they weren't having it!

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." -Thomas Edison

**GilmoreJunkieJavaGirls:** I try to write realistically, so mission complete? At least up to chapter three anyway.

"...I want some more of it. I try, so hard, I can't rise above it!" -_Tim McGraw_

**Tears4Chris:** Yeah, ever since that whole break-up thing, he's gotten a some heat! I kind-of like the guy.

"Couldn't sleep. I sweet-talked the maid into leaving me about ten thousand pillow mints and then I proceeded to eat them all." -_Chris _

**orangesherbert7:** Yeah, for me chapters one and two were lacking as well. Three got somewhere, and now, sadly, it's over. All too soon if you ask me, but rarely do I find such requests for my opinions in my inbox. That's why I write though. To force my opinions on others without their consent.

"Rainbow sherbet is better." -_Anon. _

**Lolabelle26: ** "Like A Prayer" _is_ the greatest song ever. So suggestive, and yet, so holy. It reminds me of that _Sex and the City _episode where Samantha tries to sleep with the monk.

"Life is a mystery. Everyone must stand-alone. I hear you call my name, and it feels like home." -_Madonna_

**bloodymary2: **I love masochists. I do, they are awesome. Therefore, you are (self-proclaimed) awesome. I just hope the loss of coherence wasn't from self-induced strangling or something crazy like that.

"Last year's carnations are unwanted when they push up among this year's tidy rows of pansies. They are weeds. They are plants not wanted in this place at this time. Just so, pain can be seen as a sensation that is not welcome at a particular time, coming in the way it does." -_Joseph W Bean_

**abcdef...(anon):** Yeah I agree. Unfortunately, there were drinks to be had and the 30s and older bar was closed for Passover. And damn those hormones, sometimes you just can't resist some good _tending. _

_"_Nothing recedes like success." -_Walter Winchell_

**Zani (anon): **I'm doing more than considering you my devoted fan. You can be it and rock my "Number 2" hat! I'll even make you webmaster of my fansite, but don't tell "**fan**". Jealously is sure to ensue.

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing-that's why we recommend it daily." -_Zig Ziglar_

**Lynnyb (anon): ** I heard that _CW_ was going to launch a new show called, "Everybody Hates Carrie". But don't worry, the fame won't last. Insiders tell me that the more recognizable "Everybody Hates Chris" will upstage it.

"If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried." -_Anon._

**Scottjunkie:** Being called a sadist is the worst thing anyone has ever called me. No fish and wine for you Jonas! No really, thank you for all the reviews. You made my life!

"No fish and wine for you Jonas!" -_Me. _(I liked that.)

**hayfever (anon): **Hi back. Get well soon okay? I think it's making your vision blurry. (I'm not good at taking compliments.)

"Get Well Soon." _-Hallmark_

**fan (anon): ** Are you a general "fan" or is a "Totally Into TheSecretsSafeWithMe" webpage popping up soon? Send me the http so I can put it on my blog. It'll help my street cred. I'm so stupid. Ignore me! And again, thanks to all my "fan"s.

"The shortest distance between two points is under construction." As is my webpage? Wink wink -_Noelie Alito _

**live love and eat: **So polite. I love _your_ manners.

"Live, love, and eat." -_You._

**lemonade113: **Oh come on! The bartender was _hot!_ But on a slightly more maniacal note, I'm still alive so I can only _assume_ I updated quick enough for your "MUST" demands. But you know what they say...

"When you assume, you make an _ass_ out of _u _and _me." -Anon._

**tom (anon): ** Dude, you rock. You get the award for the longest review! It only took me ten chapters to reunite the lovers, but I'd like to believe it was anything but "easy" for my readers. And how sweet to take my words as a gift. Well you my friend, have no debt with me. Your review was equally a gift for me. Especially the "damned brilliant" part. I love that shit!

"Be as you wish to seem." -_Socrates_

**OyWithThePoodlesAlready13:** You are too cute! I love that you said "OMG" and "cp"! Honestly. My roommate and I are always OMGing and roommate number three sighs in annoyance. We love it!

"OMG!" -_Me _and _You, _preferably in unison

**epona9009:** Thanks for trusting me. Putting your emotions in the hands of a stranger is always a good idea. But I suspect my "mean" reputation was ruined by my "Just Like Gwen and Gavin" story. I'm a softy at heart. But thanks for reminding me that I'm not the show. My feet were getting farther from the ground than I care to admit.

"What check? Who the hell are you?" -_WB Executives when I tried to collect for all my hard work._

**madeleinedawn: **I learn from the best, so pat yourself on the back missy. In High School creative writing class, when I was staring at you and you thought I was planning my Perry revenge, I was actually taking notes. (True story guys-known this one since grade school. Aren't we precious? When we said BFF, we meant it.)

"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research." _-Anon_

**anon: **Mexican food rocks! You, however, scared the _pinto beans and rice_ right out of me with the first four words of your review, "_Bad, no, no, no!"_. I love you for your passion though. (And thankfully, my bruised ego read the rest of the review, and much to my pleasure, it was actually very nice! Thanks!)

"Borrow money from pessimists - they don't expect it back." _-Anon _

**BluJPlover:** I gave in! Due to _heavy_ persuasion on your part, I decided to do a little more. (post- "more, more, more…" review). And on a personal note: careful with the sad/hyper combo-last time that happened to me I viciously finger-painted my room black.

"We owe a lot to Thomas Edison - if it wasn't for him, we'd be watching television by candlelight." -_Milton Berle_

**Good night and good luck. Thanks again everyone. You+Me _equals _Love.**


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